Now and Later
by Londoner2012
Summary: The story of Klaine, begining at the end of High School when Kurt meets the Anderson family and his friendship with Blaine's brother Cooper begins. The setting quickly then moves to the pair living and working in New York, where they meet different challenges, with life and love.
1. Chapter 1

Apologies Dear readers for some typos and silly mistakes in the first version of this...I got rather word blind, I hope I have nabbed them now.

Kurt stood twiddling keys in his pocket and not really knowing why he was standing on the door step and calling Blaine on his mobile rather than ringing the doorbell less than a foot away from his hand. Nor really why this grand introduction to the Anderson family was really that necessary at all, but he couldn't really find a way or a logical reason to turn Blaine down, especially after he was asked with such expectant eyes a few days earlier.

"I'm here" Kurt said desperately trying to not allow his nervousness show.

"I'll come and get you, where's" here" exactly"

"The door step"

A few moments later Blaine opened the door and ushered him with slightly exaggerated theatrical gestures. Kurt stepped inside and stopped hesitantly in the hall way. Blaine smiled warmly, quickly squeezing Kurt's hand before tugging him through the hallway and calling out ahead "Kurt's arrived".

They walked through the hall and into the drawing room. He'd never been to this room before nor had he ever been into the house when Blaine's family where there, _Well it's going to be an evening of firsts..._

_Oh God, they really are drinking cocktails pre dinner, I thought this a casual kitchen supper..._ Kurt his glanced at the Anderson family semi seated around the fire place. To be fair, Kurt had never really believed Blaine when he said it was just a relaxed family meal co-inciding with his brother's visit home. Nothing about the Andersons struck him as casual he knew full well Blaine had only said it was because to have described it like a scene from an 18C costume drama would be weird.

The group stopped talking; a seriously slim elegant lady dressed in cream took Kurt's hand in her manicured fingers " this is Blaine's school friend Kurt" she announced to the expectant group. Kurt surveyed the room hardly noticing his introduction but putting it down as Mrs Anderson being, well, _diplomatic_.

"Thank you for inviting me to join you" Kurt said breathily smiling

The introductions began, Mr Anderson was the handsome silver fox type, and he nodded and smiled. Cooper, Blaine's older brother reached out to shake Kurt's hand and drew him closer, "Thank you for coming, I'm glad you are here, it means that everyone will have to behave" He laughed and nudged Blaine gently. He was confident and handsome and surprisingly tall by any standards.

At dinner the conversation began in earnest, Mrs Anderson, who by now insisted on being called Laura seated Kurt to her side and Blaine next to him. The remaining men sat on the other side of the room.

" We all were so excited to meet you. " she said slicing her meat, her rings sparkling from her fingers " when Blaine said he'd move to a public school we were just a little worried, but it's so nice to know he has made friends already" Kurt nodded, not knowing quite how to respond.

"I don't know if you know Dalton, it's a beautiful school, the standards are high and the boys are so polite, we adored all of Blaine's friends there, but Blaine always insisted he didn't want the financial strain on us, and when he asked if he could move schools. Well it's probably right to say the timing worked for us"

"I was there for a while too," Kurt quietly interjected trying not to look at Blaine beside him.

"Where you, when was that? did you know Blaine there? Did you sing in the choir?"

Kurt stopped and stared into his plate, he was beginning to feel cold. He felt Blaine's hand softly press his knee momentarily and slip away. Kurt continued to look down.

"Dalton is bigger than you think "interjected Cooper, picking up on the growing cloud of awkwardness that was rising above the table.

"May be you knew some of Blaine's friends" Mrs Anderson continued unrelentingly but kindly and obliviously.

"Kurt was in the Warblers with me..." Blaine added with more than a hint of desperation in his voice. He wanted the conversation to shine on Kurt and not on him or his friends or past. But his mother would not be put off.

"With David? David has known Blaine for years, his father is a partner in the same firm as Howard, and his sister is lovely too" Mr Anderson nodded approvingly as his wife spoke. Blaine tried to speak again; he knew where this conversation was heading uncontrollably towards.

"Beautiful and clever, we always rather hoped that Blaine and her might hit it off…" she quickly tapped her fingers to her lips._ Oh God, why did she have to say_ _that_ Blaine shifted uncomfortably.

"I think she knows me far too well" said Blaine neutrally; he moved again in his seat looking at his brother with a pleading in his eyes hoping the conversation would swerve away. He looked at Kurt but Kurt looked rigidly forward.

"Do you have a girlfriend Kurt" asked Mrs Anderson. There was no malice or unkindness in her voice, when she asked, she just paused and looked at Kurt waiting for an answer. Kurt was trying to think of what to say and not blush but he had gone from cold to feeling uncomfortably warm, he momentarily looked at Blaine.

"No" they both answered softly together.

"Well, Blaine you should introduce him to David's sister…"

Cooper interrupted quickly, it was too painful to hear this, "I was wondering if you wanted to join us for the game on Wednesday, I bought you a ticket, Blaine said you weren't into football too much but…"

"Loved scarves" Blaine finished his brother's sentence desperately trying to show some support for his boyfriend who sat sad and crestfallen beside him, he squeezed Kurt's knee again.

"It's just my excuse to spend some time with my little" continued Cooper,

"Younger" coughed Blaine exaggeratedly

"Brother and to get to know you too". Kurt finally looked up, to see Cooper smiling at him.

"We can have dinner, a few drinks, see the game …Blaine doesn't really stop jabbering about you" Kurt really felt like crying, Cooper was so sweet and desperately trying to make amends.

"Please join us" added Blaine with more than a hint of begging in his voice.

The conversation moved on from there to plans for the summer and Mr Anderson quizzing his eldest son about his law firm. To be honest Cooper brought up the subject it was bait that he knew his father couldn't resist. As the evening ended Mrs Anderson warmly hugged Kurt and thanked him again for joining them, she had that effortless air of making her guests feel both wanted and special, although right now Kurt didn't feel either. Cooper pressed him on the shoulder (_so that's where he got it from_ Kurt thought). Kurt walked back along the hallway with Blaine, he was feeling strangely emotionless. When they reached the car, Blaine finally spoke.

"I have been a complete idiot" Kurt just stared back.

"I thought if they got to meet you and see how wonderful you are then I could tell them everything afterwards" he continued, realising for the first time just how flawed his plan was.

"I need to go" Kurt no more than muttered quickly, opening his car door and stepping in, Blaine rapped at the window, which Kurt wound down quickly. Blaine leaned forward, he was panicking and wanted some sign that Kurt wasn't as hurt or angry or both as he knew full well he was. But Kurt moved away, starting the engine and gazing ahead as hot wet tears moved softly down his cheeks. The car moved off. Blaine kicked the curb, swearing under his breath and headed back into the house.

Chapter two will follow soon...please review xx


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kurt's mind was a jigsaw of sadness, he felt humiliated, foolish and most of all rejected. Part of him was angry with Blaine for not standing up to his parents. Kurt's relationship with his dad was spats and stomping out of the room, but they both loved each other dearly and there was no one in the world that he would turn to before his father, yet. _Why didn't he just tell them…_But he knew why, the whole scenario would have been a lot lot worse, and he'd have been there in the cross fire of raised voices and tears. Really, Kurt knew that he was so lucky to have the father he had and most people weren't so lucky. Blaine was one of those people who had that slightly formal relationship with his family where birthdays were always remembered and celebrated with large family dinners, where people dressed for Christmas dinner but no one really knew what was happening in each other's lives. By the time he reached his home, the tears had stopped, Kurt still felt hurt but the intensity of the emotion had lessened and he'd gone back to feeling just quiet and in need of his own company and space. He called out to his dad and Carole on entering and did his best to sound tired so as not to have to re live the evening in conversation, before heading to his room.

7 missed calls and 4 texts. The last ending:_ I am so sorry for hurting you, I was an idiot. Please call me - B_

Kurt, had a shower, deciding to call Blaine the following morning, he needed to be able to hear what Blaine had to say and he also knew that it wasn't long before he would stop being angry with him. He was slowly feeling sad that Blaine was in a situation with his family where he couldn't say what he wanted to say and couldn't fully be what he wanted. Kurt had, had enough for one night, and the exhaustion of sleep was over taking him.

* * *

><p>Blaine was sitting on his bed, just staring at the bed covers, fixating on the patterns. He felt sick and hurt and fighting with the thought that Kurt would break up with him. Most of all he felt he had let Kurt down. There was a soft rapping at the door, before Cooper entered taking up position with his back against it.<p>

" You alright ?"

"Not really, Kurt will probably ditch me and I have been a complete idiot and deserve it"

" Tell them, then grovel like hell to Kurt. You know, Mum and Dad haven't always like my choices, but they've never really stopped me, because ultimately they can't. Dad still thinks that I will come back one day to his firm and be a partner. That's fine, he knows I won't but it makes him happy to believe that I will. Look, they're not going to advertise you are gay and have a boyfriend, and they're not going to invite him to the weddings of our ever distant cousins, but they won't stop you seeing him either, they just won't want to acknowledge it …."

Blaine had by now stopped sniffling. He was genuinely surprised that his parents had any reason at all to find fault in Cooper – he must have been at Dalton when those arguments were going on. He sat silently for a few moments longer processing what had been said to him.

" So.."

"So tell them now Blaine, get it over with and then get on with what you need to get on with.."

Cooper, offered a hand, tugging him from the bed.

"What shall I say?"

" OK Blaine, I am not going to write a script for you for goodness sake, just bear in mind that It's hard for you and for them…but I am backing you." He smiled gently.

Mrs Anderson was slightly fidgeting around the living room, playing with flowers and patting coffee table books so the edges aligned. She felt quietly contented that the dinner had gone well, although her son seemed a little quiet.

" Hi Mum, thanks for dinner " said Blaine on entering the room. His voice was cheery and up beat in a slightly over animated way.

"You're welcome, it was nice to meet your friend, he's quiet but ever so polite. I think your brother liked him too, its good that you have a friend, but you've always been so good at making friends…" She was about to start on a tirade again.

Cooper flopped into the sofa as his mother spoke. " Yep" he said, with a look flashing to Blaine to say, _get on with it_.

" So, I know this is going to be difficult for you to get to terms with but I …" Blaine was standing in the middle of the room now, slightly averting his eyes away from his mother and brother and looking at the carpet. His voice was hitching and he became conscious of each breath.

Mrs Anderson paused and slowly turned around, with a quizzing look. She too was now standing in the room, she looked at her son. _She must get this surely…_

" Well, Kurt is, well he's actually someone that I have been seeing a lot of " Said Blaine with a sudden forcefulness in his voice as the voice in his head was telling him _Say, just say it._

Mrs Anderson continued to stare. Blaine looked back at Cooper who raised his eye brow and gave his shoulders a little shrug, followed by a little nod.

" He's, well, I am seeing him, I mean he's, well, he's not a friend in the way David is…" Cooper inhaled loudly. Mrs Anderson continued to stare, hardly showing any emotion.

"Blaine" Cooper interjected, his voice becoming really quite exasperated. He hadn't intended to say anything, this was something that needed to come from his brother but he also knew that if Blaine wasn't clear his parents would interpret what Blaine was trying to say in the way that they wanted to hear it. Kurt would still remain just Blaine's school friend for them .

"He's my boyfriend mum" Blaine said the words, firmly but warmly and looked at his mother with kind eyes. He didn't want this to be a confrontation, he didn't want Kurt to be caught up in any anger. He wanted his parents to know that Kurt was a good thing, a good thing that mattered to him and not just some act of rebellion to annoy them.

"Oh….." Pause. "And you didn't tell me, before you asked him over…" Mrs Anderson, wasn't quite as warm in her reply back, her tone was slightly scornful.

"No, I wanted you to like him first… I am sorry I should have done, but I am telling you now" Blaine kept his composure, he knew that as hard as it was for him to tell his parents it was hard for his mother to hear. He knew that by doing what he was doing that moment he could show them that he was growing up into an adult and was going to say what he needed to say calmly and maturely because what he was telling them mattered to him.

"And you knew " She said turning to Cooper, with a twinge of annoyance.

"Yes"

"Well, I think you should concentrate on your school work, it's a really important year for you and I don't think having complications is going to help you focus on getting the grades you need.." Mrs Anderson was flustered. Flustered at the news and flustered that she wasn't really appearing as the adult in this conversation.

"Kurt isn't a complication, and I don't think this is about my school work really" Blaine continued again, with a warmth that showed he knew what he was doing was fair and right, to himself to his parents and to Kurt. He felt contented, his anxiousness had gone. He looked to his brother and smiled a little, relived that he had nothing left to say for now.

"Fine, Blaine, do what you want to do.." She said huffily, leaving the room.

I think we both deserve a beer said Cooper, getting up to head to kitchen, tapping his younger brother on the shoulder.

* * *

><p>-Blaine reached Kurt's house at 10.00 am the next morning. Kurt's car was in the drive but he felt odd calling so early on a Sunday morning and so decided to get a coffee. After a listless hour he drove back to the house. He rang the doorbell quickly and urgently.<p>

" Hello Blaine" Burt said on opening the door and almost scooping him in. Burt had a genuine fondness for Blaine, he could easily pass time with Blaine talking about school and football. He wasn't sure about Blain at first, he felt that he had rather led Kurt a merry dance, and it had hurt to hear his son talk about his unrequited feelings. It had taken Burt a while to trust Blaine, but he readily did now.

"I think Kurt must have over slept, I can only just hear him getting up ..can I make you a coffee while you wait?"

Before Blaine could answer, Burt had begun walking up the stairs, " Blaine's here, we'll have a coffee while you finish"

Burt wasn't comfortable with having his son's boyfriend going to his son's room unannounced, he certainly didn't want Blaine to walk in on his son while dressing. He wasn't so naïve to think that their relationship consisted of holding hands and affectionate hugs but he really preferred to turn a blind eye to much else.

" Blaine" said Kurt a few minutes later. " Shall we go " he really wasn't in the mood to let on to his parents that anything was wrong between them, and did his best to make it sound to anyone hearing that him and Blaine had arranged to meet that morning.

" I am so, so sorry Kurt. I was stupid and insensitive " Blaine had been rehearsing this speech and was willing to descend into pure begging if needed. " I just didn't think it would be like that, I should have told before, but I don't know, I thought, well I didn't think which is really what the problem was, I wanted them to like you but I knew if they knew about us, that's all they would think about , and then I thought.." The speech was not going to plan and came out a babble of jumbled words making less and less sense.

* * *

><p>" You really hurt me" said Kurt flatly.<p>

" I know. I am so sorry, I am so sorry Kurt. I promise I never meant that to happen and if I thought for a moment that would happen I would never, never had done what I did..I " he was about to start babbling again.

" I know you're sorry. I am still hurt, but I'll be fine."

"Oh" said Blaine, picking up on the word " I'll" _ he's going to dump me._

"Not that this makes anything I did less rubbish, but I have told them, well Mum which is the same as telling them both.."

" You did ?"

"Yes, and she was ok, well not exactly embracing the whole thing, but I'd say ok. She liked you too " Blaine felt it was fine to slightly change the order of events.

"Look I know every parent is not my dad, and really Blaine I didn't care whether you told them or not, but I think it mattered to you but it didn't matter to me. I don't care if I spend time with your parents, I have my own, they adore you…I don't need more than that.."

_This is more hopeful._

" I thought it mattered to me, but I don't really know, I think I was so happy to be with you that I thought everyone who loved me would be happy too"

"was ?"

Blaine didn't know what to say. He felt arrogant to think that Kurt would still want to be with him after all of this and had used the tense deliberately. He also knew that his feelings for Kurt were more than just "liking", he knew he loved Kurt, it had dawned on him slowly but firmly. He also knew that if he was being honest it mattered to him that his parents met Kurt because he loved him and because he couldn't see himself anymore without Kurt. As much as he desperately wanted to tell Kurt at this moment he knew that he couldn't. He wanted to tell Kurt at a time of happiness not now not when there was a feeling of regret and sadness between them, or so he thought.

Kurt had gently taken Blaine's hand. " look I am still a little sore and grumpy, so I think I might be better in my own company today. But can we talk this evening " Kurt was turning to face Blaine now."

" Yes, thank you for not kicking me down the street"

" never" Kurt pouted.

* * *

><p>" So, you're forgiven, just about, but it comes with conditions" said Kurt in a far better mood, after a day of sloppy texts.<p>

" Anything"

"You'll have to make it up to me, big time"

" you're going to milk this aren't you"

" I am indeed."

" Keep Saturday free I will wow you."

" You'd better."

" And, I know you might not fancy seeing any member of my family right now, but do you think you might want to come to see the game with me and Cooper."

" Sure, good looking tall brother ?"

" That would be him".

**Please review, so next chapter we have the game and the "wow" date...**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kurt had gently draped himself over the railings in one of the internal hallways at the Stadium. He was with Cooper watching the milling crowds waiting to see the game. Despite having spent all but a few hours together they oddly felt comfortable with each other. Blaine had talked about Cooper a lot, and Kurt had been more than intrigued to meet him, but now he was with him he just felt comfortable. There was something very warm about Cooper, he wasn't protective in an aggressive way like Kurt's brother Finn could be, he was just kind and calming. Kurt had decided in the small amount of time that they had spent together that he liked Copper a great deal.

Blaine had been dismissed to get some drinks, Cooper had given him the whole of his wallet and told him to get something for the game. Blaine was about to make some form of protest, almost out of the principal of being bossed a little by his brother until he realised actually it was pretty good of Cooper to get both him and Kurt tickets, pick Kurt up from his house to save him from the ordeal of having to ring the door bell of the Anderson family home and take them out to a fairly swanky Italian restaurant – one that Blaine was rather annoyed with himself for not discovering and treating Kurt to earlier. Blaine also knew his brother well enough to see that really Cooper was asking him for a few minutes with Kurt alone, and there was something in that gesture that Blaine really liked. He wasn't so bothered with approval from his parents, but approval from Cooper mattered because Blaine felt proud of this brother, he was kind and smart and cool with it all. So he headed off to find the shortest of the long lines at the refreshment kiosks.

" Thank you for coming along this evening" said Cooper, still looking at the crowds below. _The politeness thing must be in the genes.._

" Thank you for inviting me, it's really good of you.." Kurt responded, looking straight ahead also. He had rather seen through Cooper's plan but liked him for wanting to make time to talk to him, and actually just wanting to spend time with him. He also found conversation with Cooper just that, conversation not some interrogation about his future plans, were him and Blaine serious, what would happen next year. They had spent dinner chatting about films, and designers and shows that they had seen or wanted to see.

" No not at all, and I really wanted to speak to you get to know you, and if you weren't here all I would hear is everything about you anyway, my brother isn't the cool and distant type.."

"It's just one of the things I like about him..." said Kurt, slightly embarrassed as he realised he'd revealed something personal about him and Blaine even though he had down played it with the word he wanted to use replacing it with " like". He didn't feel that he knew Cooper well enough or at all really to start telling him how he felt about Blaine, but he was sure he knew, even if he hadn't even told Blaine as much.

Cooper seemed to ignore the comment and carried on with what he really wanted to say and the real reason for sending Blaine off on an errand that would take him 15 minutes at least.

" I am really sorry about dinner last week, I thought about it a lot afterwards and thought that as painful as it was for me to be there, it must have been even worse for you. I was slightly kicking myself for not making the time to speak to Blaine about it before hand. I know what my parents can be like, and it's not as though they aren't supportive of us, but they are incredibly conservative and all of this is just outside of their comfort zone…I know that doesn't make it easier for you, and I am sorry that we all behaved that way" Kurt thought that it was touching that Cooper while not wanting to diminish Blaine's role in all this, also didn't want to openly blame him.

" Its fine, really, anyway it's not your fault, it's not anyone's, certainly not yours, not theirs and not Blaine's although I am making him grovel a bit for this...so don't disclose this conversation to him " Kurt laughed a little as he spoke he wanted to make light of the dinner last week. He smiled at Cooper.

" Good, making Blaine grovel that is, I never really thought he had enough practice of that…I mean I tried enough but really he'd just get all bolshy with me." Cooper could hear his brother approaching them and wanted to make sure that he heard the last words that were being said about him.

" Oh stop talking about me and stop plotting" said a voice cheerfully behind them. Blaine leaned forward handing them three drinks that he was doing his best to carefully balance.

* * *

><p>B – can you be ready for 4 pm on Saturday<p>

K- what do I need to wear

B – Top hat and Tails...

K – Seriously ?

B – Not seriously, just wear what you like, possibly upper end of casual.

K- Intrigued.

B – Good.

By 4.15 Kurt was flitting through the Blaine's CD collection deciding which to insert into his car's player.

" How long are will we be driving for " Kurt asked looking at the two discs that he had short listed.

" Not telling"

" Do you want to be forgiven" Kurt looked at him dryly but revealing a certain playfulness

" I thought I was ?" Blaine questioned, leaning in to steal a sideways kiss while still watching the road head.

"Nearly is not fully…that would be far to easy…" replied Kurt just ducking out of the way.

" Ok, Ok, I reckon an hour and a half, may be a little longer, I've sort of erred on the side of caution with time, don't want to be late.. you look really great by the way."

Kurt adjusted his polo neck top which he was wearing with dark stained skinny jeans and a grey fitted sports jacket.

"Are you trying to win brownie points then?...and you have seen me in this combination before"

" Well may be you look especially great in it today" responded Blaine, trying again to catch a kiss which Kurt successfully avoided yet again.

The drive took them out of Lima, Kurt was playing at being stubborn and refusing to show any enthusiasm, he just hummed wistfully to the music checking his watch obviously every 20 minutes or so and tutting.

"Will you stop" Blaine laughed.

" I don't really think so do you...where are we actually going ?"

" Not telling..." said Blaine sighing and looking contrite.

The rest of the journey was spent in playful and flirty banter, Kurt's expression hardly changed from a full on pout but every so often he would flick Blaine a diva stare to show that he still wasn't completely in the clear – only they both knew that he was.

" Sushi ?... I love it, but all this way for Sushi...?"

Kurt was delicately holding his chopsticks peering at the little plates as they moved around the conveyor belt. He was doing his best to mute his sheer excitement and pass off some form of nonchalance but really he was failing quite badly. He had to constantly hide his smile and more than once had to stop literally clapping excitedly. Blaine could see it too and eased back in to his seat smiling. He knew he'd been forgiven pretty much after talking to Kurt the day after the dinner, but he still felt bad, and honestly he really wanted some excuse to treat Kurt. It was hard to do that. Kurt always insisted on taking it in turns to pay for anything and even had tried to give him the ticket money to pay his brother back for taking him to the game, knowing that if he tried to give it to Cooper directly Cooper would have steadfastly refused. And so did Blaine saying that if he wanted to pay Cooper back he would have to do it himself and there's no way that Cooper would take it. The fact was that Blaine had a lot more money that Kurt, after he left Dalton his parents had decided to continue paying Blaine a living allowance, they were saving on the tuition and boarding fees and really felt that they had saved enough on Blaine's part. Blaine though, liked working during the holidays and made extra cash that way too. Kurt would work odd shifts in his father's garage on Saturday mornings and some evenings from school, but really his father didn't need the extra help it was a way of just giving Kurt a bit more pocket money without just giving it to him.

" Hands off the Maki" said Kurt pulling off a little place with a yellow rim.

"I suppose you'll finally forgive me after the next bit" queried Blaine?

" There's something else ? " said Kurt, quite forgetting that he was pretending that he was in a bit of a grump and grabbing Blaine's hand affectionately from across the table. He quickly became aware of their surroundings and they both pulled away. There were places that the two of them went together and where they felt safe to show some form of affection, hand holding and hugs across the table but mostly they did not, and although they had never agreed upon a set of rules they both knew instinctively. They were in a new town and a new restaurant and now was not a time for experimenting with public acceptance.

Blaine reached into his pocket and pulling out two scarlet coloured tickets. Kurt furrowed his eye brows, snatching at his tickets. "West Side Story" said Blaine with a look of triumph, pulling them quickly away. We're 10 minutes walk from the theatre so I would move on to the chocolate pots shortly he said smiling.

Four hours later, and Kurt and Blaine were on their way back to the side street where Blaine had parked his car. Kurt had pretty much dropped the fake pouty/grumpy/hard to get act, the moment that Blaine had produced the tickets. He had spent much of the musical pulling on Blaine's sleeve excitedly, whispering loudly, " I love this bit…" to pretty much each and every song. He had snuggled against Blaine and they had held hands quietly in the darkness.

" I feel pretty and witty and bright…" Kurt sang laughing and throwing an arm around his boyfriend's shoulder. He hadn't had a drop to drink but to anyone watching he was looked slightly drunk almost alive with excitement. Blaine was laughing with him.

" I am sure you do, but another song, PLEASE" pleaded Blaine making begging hand gestures, before very quickly looking around and placing a kiss on Kurts lips to silence him.

" Ok" said Kurt taking up position to fully wave his arms around

" Tonight tonight,

Won't be just any night

Tonight there will be no morning star

Tonight tonight,

I'll see my love tonight,

And for us, stars will stop where they are "

Kurt couldn't finish the song, he was laughing too much and felt too alive and excited.

" I love you Kurt" Said Blaine stopping abruptly on the pavement.

Kurt turned to look at Blaine standing behind him, responding without a moment passing. " I love you too"

They looked at each other silently before moving closer and softly kissing, holding their hands tightly together. For a few seconds they were lost in the feeling of warmth between them until they both almost at the same time because conscious of the street around them and headed to the car.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter...I'd really appreciate it if you could send a review xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter is set in New York , I won't tell you their ages for now but you should be able to work it out as the story progresses...**

**Chapter 4**

"You really need to get up, the snooze button is getting worn out"

" don't want to"

"up"

"no can't I stay here...?"

" well you could, and lose your job and then we'd be poor and wouldn't have money for me to buy something from the latest Autumn Winter Marc Jacobs collection and I'd be sad and grumpy"

"...we could be poor and live in a romantic garret.."

" You're trying to distract, I wouldn't be good being poor, it's alright of you, you've never tried it, ...up up up" Kurt had begun gently prodding his fingers into Blaine's back.

Blaine slowly got out of the bed making sure to yank the bed clothes obstinately behind him so that Kurt was now feeling the slight chill of the morning. Even though it was July, the morning still had a crispness that lasted until mid morning.

Blaine had now proceeded to make as much noise as possible in the bathroom. Kurt snuggled back under the covers, he was intent on sleeping just a little longer.

Kurt was a French and English teacher at a local school on the Upper East Side. He also taught adults French on a private basis, usually a couple of evenings a weekend after school and during the holidays. Every now and then he would teach an adult English as a foreign language, but he preferred teaching French, he just liked the drama of the language. The greatest source of his clients were from Banks that were relocating staff to Europe, they paid well and the clients were usually quite bright to begin with so found learning easy. He had his ups and downs with his job at the school, most of the pupils really didn't want to learn the language and he did his best to make the language interesting but the basics of a language like verb drills just had to be learnt and there was little that he could do to make that more interesting than a game on the Xbox. He could if he wanted to, probably just teach adults on a consultancy basis but that wasn't why he wanted to be a teacher, he liked school life and the community that a school created. He liked getting ready for plays and exhibitions and taking students on trips to exhibitions. He liked engaging with the children and hearing about their problems and sharing their excitement when something happened that most adults would hardly notice. For most of the time he liked his work.

But now it was the holidays and his routine was sleeping until 9.00am, breakfast, cleaning the flat and deciding on what to make for dinner, and fitting in the occasional adult student. He felt slightly guilty on mornings like this when Blaine had to all but tear himself from the sheets to go in to the office so he would often make a fairly complex and time consuming meal for supper, and make sure the flat was adorned with a vase of carefully arranged flowers or some dramatic arrangement with foliage. He had thought about teaching at a summer school, but the pay was so low and he only needed a few hours with clients from the banks to make up for a week's work at a Summer school.

Blaine had begun dressing in the room, slightly robotically he was pulling on his suit jacket and picking out a tie, but he had quietened down a little, it wasn't after all Kurt's fault that he wasn't working today. He leaned forward whispering to Kurt as he pretended to sleep.

" Shall I make you a coffee ? " He whispered leaning close to Kurt.

" You'll be even later and you'll have lots of angry clients in tears because they can't sign their contracts" Kurt mumbled back into the pillow.

" Meet for lunch ?" Blaine ignored the snipe, Kurt could smell Blaine's minty tooth paste breath and the fresh smell of cologne and couldn't help but smile softly.

" Hmm, yes, I have student at 3.00pm."

" Can I give you a call when I have checked my diary?"

" See you later sweetheart."

* * *

><p>Blaine headed off to his office. He was a lawyer in a small practice in mid town. They were nice people to work for, no one had to work crazy hours and most of the time Blaine liked his colleagues. He probably wouldn't go further than describe them as colleagues, they certainly weren't friends and he knew when he left he wouldn't be keeping in touch with any of them. They were friendly enough and he'd occasionally have drinks with them at the bar across the street but that was often because he felt he had to, the best cases and clients were discussed at these informal evenings and he wanted to be someone who his colleagues trusted and to do that they had to know him better. Most of them were older than him and had families, he found it hard to add anything to their conversations of sick children and school projects and weekends spent with grandparents and inlaws. He didn't really tell them much about his life, he didn't really feel that that he had a need to, he'd refer to Kurt as his partner rather than his name. It wasn't a secret but he didn't feel a need to share much of personal life if any with his colleagues.<p>

He wasn't entirely sure how he ended up being a commercial lawyer. He had finished law school and taken an internship with a busy media law firm with the full intention of becoming a music lawyer but that hadn't really worked out. Of the five interns all had pretty much planned the same thing and as there were only two places in the music department those went to two of the others, one of whom was a relative of one of the partners the other who was the daughter of a client. He had been offered a position in the probate department, so Blaine had looked elsewhere and found his current job. On the plus side he was paid well and it meant that he Kurt could have a reasonable level of comfort in their lives, They could afford to eat pretty much where they wanted to, not that Kurt ever had more than two courses and a sip of wine, could travel abroad for holidays, go ski-ing each year if they felt like it and afford a place they both really liked even though he secretly would have liked to pick the flat up and move it Tribeca or Soho.

At 1.30 Kurt was sitting on their designate bench in Bryant park, basking a little in the sun and scanning messages on his iphone.

" Hey you" said Blaine cheerfully sweeping an arm from across Kurt's shoulders as he sat down.

"How's the day been so far for a man of leisure..."

" Oh, quite similar to that of Cinderella's really, cleaned the apartment, bought some groceries, marinated some chicken for us later...and made lunch " Mocked Kurt pulling out two foil wrapped packages and two bottles of mineral water.

" I keep saying we should get a cleaner...then you'd be free to go to the ball..."

" yes, prince charming...but I'd still have to pre clean for the cleaner "

"_You _would...what you got there then?"

" roast chicken, avocado and tomato...and if you're really nice to me, then you can have one of these" Kurt pulled out a second packet this time wrapped in baking paper and gave Blaine a sneak peek of two fat moist brownies.

" you're the best, you know that ?"

" I do...so how's your morning been then ?

" busy, dull, then a little less dull, busy and right now wonderful" he smiled before unwrapping and biting into his roll.

They chatted a while longer in the sunshine until Blaine looked at his watch and said that it was time to go. Kurt walked back with him to the door of the office and gave him a soft slightly surreptitious kiss on his cheek.

" When do you think you'll make it home?"

" Around 6.30 -7.00, I have a conference call around 5.30 but it won't take too long, are you teaching for an hour this afternoon ?"

" Yep, new student – I should be done by four, although I hate being a real clock watcher especially on the first lesson. I've got something nice planned for us for dinner, later. "

They said their good byes again and Blaine finally went through the revolving door of the entrance to the building where his law firm was located on the fourth floor.

* * *

><p>Kurt never taught his students at home, he thought it would put female students off going to a strangers house and to be honest he didn't really want his students to pry into his private life, they were not his friends after all and he tried to maintain strict boundaries between them. He had made good friends with a Tanya, German girl who had been working for one of the German banks in the City and whom he had taught for 6 months before she was to be moved to the Paris branch of the same bank, the transfer never took place and they'd meet for dinner and drinks on a regular basis. But that was pretty much it really.<p>

He had found a reasonably quiet cafe near the Public Library which he used as a base to teach from, it didn't have any loud music, had large tables and plenty of natural light. He had set out his things on the table in the coffee shop, a few printed exercises and a couple of text books. He had been doing teaching long enough to have a set formula. He'd gauge the student's ability on the first lesson and then decide which book the student would need to buy

James had contacted Kurt through his internet page, he was working in the Human Resources Department of a bank which were looking to transfer him to Paris in 4 months. He had been taking intensive language classes at a local language school but he told Kurt in his email that he needed more personal tuition and more a focus on business language. Kurt was relieved that he was not teaching an absolute beginner as frankly he found it a bit dull and the drill of " How old are you ?... where do you live...how many brothers and sisters do you have? " was quite warisome. It was quite a change to have someone who had a grasp of the language to begin with.

" Hello, Kurt, I'm James Newford " said a voice, walking along side the table and offering a hand for Kurt to shake.

James was an attractive man in his early thirties, he was dressed from work in a light gray well tailored suit and had already removed his tie. He looked polished and groomed. His light brown hair neatly cut. He offered to buy Kurt a fresh coffee, but as Kurt's was still hot he politely declined. James disappeared for a few minutes while he got his.

"So, what I need you to do is tell me something about yourself, include something from the past, now and the future, I need find out how you use tenses and the extent of your vocabulary" began Kurt in a slightly business like fashion. " Oh the point of the exercise is to say things, they don't need to be real facts" Kurt added.

The lesson carried on and Kurt assessed James as quite good. He explained that he would work out a lesson schedule and that which would cover the things that James would need to do until he left for Paris.

" Shall I get you another coffee ?" offered James at the end of the lesson,

" No, I'm fine, thank you, I need to get home, said Kurt looking at his watch".

" Well, see you next week" James smiled and began packing his things away swiftly.

* * *

><p>Kurt was in full domestic mode when Blaine came in that evening. He loved having control of the kitchen. Kurt had claimed cooking as his thing. Blaine's role was to let Kurt know when he was leaving the office so that he could time what needed to be done so that they could eat soon after Blaine arrived back. During the holidays dinners would get more and more elaborate, if Blaine was having a bad day Kurt would try and soothe things over by making his favourite, Carbonara. Blaine in return would clear up the debris that Kurt had created which sometimes could easily take longer than making the meal itself. There were definitely times when Blaine really thought getting a take out was the easiest option, at least that wouldn't involve scrubbing four pans. But Kurt was steadfast against take outs " You don't know what they put in the them, and they never use the best meat" he would repeatedly say.<p>

" Did your day get any better" asked Kurt Twenty minutes later when Blaine had changed into a pair of jeans and they sat down to dinner.

" Hmm, erm, no not much really. A new set of instructions came in, could be interesting though, the client designs food labels " Blaine realised when he said this out loud that really it didn't sound interesting at all. " Anyway, did you do get to do anything before making this banquet ?" he said smiling.

" Well I had lunch with a very handsome guy in the park earlier " Kurt teased, " and I've got a nice new private student. He can actually speak French a bit which makes a change, and it will be an hour a week for four months….but it won't interfere with my cooking duties" he joked. " And your brother called"

"Oh, I don't think he tried me on my mobile?" Blaine looked mildly puzzled.

"Well he wanted to know if we were free for dinner on Sunday and as he knows I am the diary keeper I expect the thought it made more sense to call me..".

There was a an unspoken but accepted rule that if Cooper wanted to speak to Blaine alone he'd call Blaine on his cell phone during the day and if they needed to meet up it would always be for a drink or quick dinner after work. Kurt of course didn't mind, and he liked the way that Blaine and his brother were really so close. The only reason that Cooper ever needed to speak with Blaine alone was to discuss some family matter. Over the years things hadn't really got any better between Blaine's family and Kurt, and Cooper was sensitive to that, he didn't think Kurt would feel comfortable having to listen to him talk about a family which other than him, barely acknowledged Kurt's existence. Other than family related calls, Cooper would call on the home line and speak to whoever picked the phone up. It was rare though that he asked them to come over to his apartment and make dinner, occasionally if there was a game on, he'd invite them both over, in which case Kurt would usually take over playing host so the brothers could concentrate on the game. Usually, they would all meet in a bar or restaurant.

" Did he say what he wanted ?" Blaine was still puzzled.

" Er, no, I didn't think it was too polite to be invited to dinner and then start quizzing the host on his motives….I don't know, girlfriend trouble possibly?"

" Cooper doesn't have trouble with girlfriend's he ditches them before they start the back chat…" Kurt snapped a dishcloth at him.

" Ouch…"

" You deserved it " said Kurt as he flopped on to Blaine's lap, wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him forward, so that he could kiss, him. Blaine, began kissing him back softly.

" Thank you for lunch again… and for dinner" he said in between kisses.

" You're welcome" Kurt mumbled not letting the conversation disrupt his concentration while kissing.

"You're so worth the back chat…"

" I know…" Kurt replied, tugging at the Blaine's shirt

"Kurt, I need to get some work done this evening" Blaine said, a little more firmly, gently nudging Kurt away, but holding his hand lightly. " There're some things that I need to get done from that call this evening" His voice was apologetic now.

"Oh…how long do you think you'll be babe?" Kurt was a little disappointed, but he didn't want Blaine to feel bad.

"Couple of hours…I'll be in the study" They used their second room as a study room, for Kurt to mark papers or Blaine to do any extra work that he needed which was more and more frequently. There was a cupboard bed to pull down for guests.

It was 9.30 now, Kurt looked at his watch and softly got up from Blaine's lap. " I'll finish here" he said looking around the plates and pots by the sink.

" You cooked…let me clean up"

" Go on if you don't start, you'll get to bed too late, I'll watch a film in bed…"

" Thanks" Blaine walked sluggishly to the study room and began un packing his bag. He had to write up his notes from the meeting, pulling out the key points and then begin the first draft of a contract which he would send over to his client to discuss again on the phone at 10.0am. The client had asked for it to be with him for 8.00am. Blaine knew that even if he worked at it solidly the chances of getting the first draft done in two hours were really very slim. He didn't want to say any longer to Kurt because he knew it would up set him, even if he didn't say so. This way, Kurt would be asleep in a couple of hours and not notice when he finally got to bed.

It was 11pm when Blaine decided he needed a break and headed to their bedroom to peek on Kurt asleep. He crept in. Kurt was sitting upright with his laptop open on his knees, but his eyes were closed. Blaine sat down on the bed beside him, softly closing the laptop.

Kurt woke and sleepily put his arms out in front of him to find Blaine. " Come to bed" he said sleepily.

" I need to just do a bit more, I'll be in soon.." he was pushing Kurt gently further down into the bed and trying to pull the bed clothes over him.

"Come to bed " Kurt was whining but couldn't really help himself. He knew even in his sleepy fug that Blaine would be working a lot longer. " Please" he added.

" I can't babe, just a little longer. I promise."

Kurt didn't say anything more, he just sighed heavily and moved under the covers. Blaine patted them down around him, looking at Kurt's sleepy bluey green eyes.

" I promise I am all yours on Saturday, we can spend the whole day in bed if we want to and go for dinner and it will be just us, I just need to get this done now though…" He kissed Kurt, who nodded sliently.

Blaine, crept in beside Kurt at 1.20am, exhausted he cuddled up to him in the darkness, careful not to wake him. Kurt's leg brushed against his for a moment, letting him know that he knew he was there.

**Hope you enjoyed it ...please review**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

" Hey guys" said Cooper letting them into his apartment. Cooper it had to be said had the batchelor life style down to a tee. His apartment was a vast open plan former warehouse with views of the Hudson. It was full of exposed brick work and was on two floors, the second floor abruptly stopping half way over the first. The only room that was totally enclosed was the bathroom. Blaine thought it was fabulous, Kurt wasn't so sure, and thought it felt too cold and austere, " needs more colour" was his whispered first comment on seeing it. One wall was dominated by a vast flat screen tv that was so flat it almost looked like a picture of a TV stuck to the wall, on the other side was what Cooper described as gadget corner, and seemed to look like a Hi Fi shop, or at least Kurt thought.

The Kitchen was hard and functional almost industrial with stainless steel everywhere and pots hung from what looked like a piece of modern art suspended from the ceiling. Most of the pans were brand new, Cooper despite having a show kitchen was not much cook. He offered Blaine a beer and Kurt a glass of white wine from a fridge that looked like a bullet proof closet. They were hovering around kitchen area so that they could chat while Cooper neatly placed some scallops into a pan, while trailing his fingers down the pages of a recipe book.

" So how's your weekend been" he asked them both, while still staring at the book.

" Good" replied Blaine.

" Good?" said Cooper turning from his cookery book for a moment to face them.

" We spent most of yesterday in….er we went to a new Asian restaurant around Union Square" Blaine replied, slightly rushing.

" We had a bit of a rubbish week, Blaine was working a lot, so we thought we'd just be lazy on Saturday and lie in bed all day and stuff "Kurt making a poor attempt to cover up for Blaine who was now mildly blushing, as was he, only more so.

" Ok, don't need to know the detail of what my younger brother… actually you can sit if you're ready, didn't know these things only took a few minutes…" he said looking at the browning scallops and scrabbling for something from the kitchen drawer.

They were seated at Cooper's glass and re-claimed Oak table, Cooper sitting opposite the two of them, he pressed on a small remote and music started playing while fish appeared on the TV, and chatted about what they had been up to over the past couple of weeks since they had seen each other last.

" So, I'm going to be 40 quite soon…" Cooper said after they had begun their main course of Steak.

" This isn't about you having a mid life crisis is it ?" Said Blaine, pausing for a moment.

Kurt pawed his arm disapprovingly.." Just asking.."

" No, and I'll remind you of that comment in 10 years time Blaine, …. But I am going to have a party.."

" And you need someone to help you plan….perfect, we can have a theme or you could go for something just very summery and outdoorsy using your balcony, " Kurt was getting quite excited

" Thank you Kurt" said Cooper calmly " I would love for you to plan my party"

" Take over " mumbled Blaine, laughing. Kurt pawed at him a second time.

" What were you thinking of for numbers ? and when ? we should send out " save the date" cards asap" said Kurt his mind flitting rapidly in the excitement and doing his best not to actually clap.

" Well, that's the thing, because its my 40th our parents will need to be invited…" He said softly and turned his attention to Blaine.

The excitement from Kurt's eyes fell and he looked down at the table.

" Yes of course, of course they must be there, it's a milestone birthday and of course you mom and dad will want to share that with you. Yes it's a family thing, yes sorry..sorry Cooper"

" Kurt, I am not sure why you are apologising" Cooper looked at Blaine again.

" Oh, sorry, I sort of invited myself and then took over your planning and, I mean I can still help with all the planning and stuff, and then just nip away before your guests and er parents arrive"

" Babe…" said Blaine distressed. He looked at Cooper, again. When Kurt had told him about going to dinner at Cooper's, Blaine had called Cooper the following day and asked him whether there was anything going on that he should know about in advance, he sort of thought it odd to be honest that Cooper had called them over just to talk over dinner at the apartment. Cooper had told him, that it wasn't a big deal but that he had something he wanted to ask them both but Kurt in particular, and he thought it would be better coming from him, so Kurt could know that he for one treated Kurt as part of his family, even if his parents did not do the same. Blaine didn't press him any further, even though he was sure if he probed more Cooper would probably have told him.

Blaine reached out to hold Kurt's hand.

" Kurt, I really would like you to come to my party. If you would like to organise it, then I am sure it will be brilliant and I would love you to do that but more than anything I would like you to be there." Cooper said gently.

" It's fine" replied Kurt, barely registering what Cooper had just told him, he was verging on panicking now " I can see you earlier in the day…honestly, its not a problem I am happy doing the planning and organising and whatever you need me to do" Cooper looked at Blaine again, with eyes asking for help, but he was not quite sure for what.

" Babe stop, hey, come to the party with me, it's not my parents party its Cooper's party for his birthday"

Cooper looked slightly relieved, not knowing how to break through Kurt's ever faster ever sadder sounding rambles.

Kurt felt trapped, he didn't want to make more of a fuss than he was already doing, he didn't want to turn Cooper down and now he felt that he was refusing Blaine as well. He just sat silently for a few moments more before Blaine spoke again.

" This is different, this is our home, well Cooper's to be precise, but New York is our home and our parents are being invited to spend time here on our territory, so its up to them if they want to be part of that, but they have to play to our rules.." Blaine looked at his brother.

"He's right Kurt, this is my home so it's up to me who I share this with, and I am asking you, before I ask them, because I really do want you to be there, it would feel wrong if you weren't and I think if you weren't there, it would be something that we'd feel between us later, not in a mean way but because we won't have that memory shared, I would feel that I had excluded you but not making this work. I don't see you just as Blaine's boyfriend, I see you as someone special to me too. "

Blaine was looking at his brother now, he was touched by what Cooper had said openly. He knew it of course, if Blaine had to travel with work , Cooper would always call Kurt or try and catch up with him over drinks. If Blaine mentioned Kurt was ill, Cooper would mention it their next conversation or call Kurt on the home phone in the day to speak to him. He even remembered Kurt's birthday, although secretly Blaine had the feeling that his secretary had added Kurt to the list of family and close friend birthdays.

" Of course I want to be there too, but I just think if your parents know I am going to be there then they won't come and it will be because of me and then that would be so wrong on your birthday and it just wouldn't be fair on you. I'd feel awful and it would spoil your relationship with you parents and I can't do that."

" I'll speak to them" said Blaine

" We'll both speak to them " added Cooper.

"We'll talk about it some more, hey Kurt?" Blaine was squeezing Kurt's hand, he could see that Kurt was beginning to get upset and he might start crying. He got up from his chair and standing over Kurt bent down to snuggle him into a hug, kissing his head. " Don't worry babe" he murmured. Cooper, quietly got up from the table taking the plates quickly with him. He put the kettle on to make some coffee leaving his brother and Kurt just quietly hugging.

When he came back , Blaine was offering Kurt a pocket tissue, which Kurt sniffed into. " Cooper, I'll think about it, I want to be there, and we'll talk about it some more if that's ok ?" Kurt was smiling now.

" Of course that's ok" Cooper was relieved.

" Can we talk about something else now ?" said Kurt.

" Sure, there's something else I needed to talk to you about Kurt, I was thinking of buying this picture for over there" he said pointing at an expanse of bare wall, he was now scrolling on his iphone trying to find a photo of the painting he had taken a few weeks earlier " I think the place needs a bit of colour really, not very homely…"

* * *

><p>" Hey, how's your day been so far..." It was 4 pm when Blaine called.<p>

"It's been fine, have been drawing up lesson plans, menu planning " Kurt knew what was coming next, he'd begun to think that all calls at this time of day were for one reason.

" Good...listen, I think I am going to have to work late again..." Blaine hadn't really listened to what Kurt had just said.

" you think you are or you will be?" Kurt was doing his best not to sound a little annoyed.

" I will be I'm afraid, don't worry about making me anything to eat, I'll order a pizza or something to eat here.."

" I've already got started on dinner..."

" Oh sorry, I didn't think you would have done...you're in a grump"

" No I'm fine.. it will keep, we can have it tomorrow, assuming you're not late again" Kurt replied wishing he hadn't added the last bit, but it wasn't something that he knew for certain either, Blaine had seemed to be in a pattern of getting home for 8pm on a good day and while Kurt was almost asleep on a bad day. He'd go to the office every now and again at the weekends in the mornings and catch up with Kurt in the early afternoon. It meant that he spent the rest of the day pretty exhausted and somewhat preoccupied with the work that he had been doing .

" You're annoyed with me and it's not my fault, if I could have called you earlier I would have done, but I only knew now when some papers landed on my desk. If I could work in the apartment and have a quick dinner with you rather than look at my computer screen eating pizza from a box I would, but I can't bring all the paper work I need to see back, there's tons of it. I don't want to be here either and you don't seem to get that"

" Its not my fault either, you're being mad at me for nothing" Kurt replied sounding a little wounded. He wasn't quite prepared for the harshness of Blaine's voice nor for what he said next.

" No, I am annoyed with you for making me feel guilty and bad about something that isn't my fault. I haven't chosen to work late. We can't both have half the year off in holiday" His words were stinging and he wished he hadn't said it the moment the words came out.

" I'm going, I don't want to keep you any longer from your work, I'll see you later. Bye" Kurt put the phone down , he felt hurt and didn't want to talk anymore, he knew that Blaine wasn't really angry with him but he hadn't expected the last bit of resentment.

Blaine immediately called back but the phone just rung. He was annoyed with himself now, annoyed for being angry and taking it out on Kurt, it was the situation that he was really angry with, the lack of control on what he did and when he did it. The unpredictability of his work. He couldn't remember the last time that he had actually planned something with Kurt during the week. Him and Kurt had spoken about Kurt's job before, he could have made more money working in a corporate environment doing teaching or translation, but neither of them wanted that, Kurt because of his wish to teach in a school and Blaine because frankly one of them needed to have a job with some flexibility and that they actually enjoyed doing. He felt awful for belittling Kurt. Blaine quickly sent a text.

"I am sorry for being horrible. I'll see you later."

Blaine, got back to his work, knowing that Kurt wouldn't respond. He tried to plough through it as quickly as he could. He also hadn't really resolved anything about Cooper's birthday party and knew that he had to make a call to his parents to try and find out what they were intending to do. He couldn't cope with another difficult call today but knew it would be better to do it from the office rather than at home.

Kurt left his phone on the table, not wanting to hear further from Blaine for a few hours at least and left to see his next pupil, James.

" How's your week been Kurt " James greeted him as he came into the coffee shop where the lesson took place.

" In French" retorted Kurt back. He'd left some of his feelings of hurt from the call with Blaine behind, now that he was in a different environment and doing his job. _May I should have mentioned to Blaine that I am not watching Day Time TV for the rest of the day._

" You're tough"

"when I teach French I try to be like the French, language and culture rolled into one" Kurt replied.

" Not romantic then ?"

" Er no..." _why had he said that ? _

The hour's lesson passed quickly and Kurt looked at his watch to find that they had over run a little. He looked through his folder and handed James a set of exercises. " Home work" he said handing them over.

" I haven't got an apple for you but do you fancy another coffee ?" James asked with a small half smile. This coupled with James' earlier comment made Kurt just feel a little uncomfortable, but he couldn't quite place it really.

Kurt glanced down at his watch almost out of habit. It was 5.20pm, he would probably just eat a bit of pasta and keep the lamb tagine he had made for him and Blaine to eat tomorrow, assuming he had stopped being mad at Blaine by then and assuming that Blaine did make it home in time for dinner.

" Sure, I've time for a quick one"

They talked about how long they had been in New York and what they liked doing, it was quite light and not overly personal.

It was 9.00pm and Blaine decided that this was an opportune moment to make a call to his parents, he'd been working for a few hours without a break, his pizza had just arrived and his parents would have just finished dinner, but it was late enough for them to also be thinking of heading to bed, so the call would not be long.

His mother picked up the phone and they exchanged pleasantries.

" And how is your work going ? " she asked.

" fine, I'm still here now."

"Oh, well its late, have you had anything to eat"

" I've ordered a pizza."

" I suppose that's something..."

The conversation was stalling, his parents only ever asked conversations that could be ring fenced to exclude Kurt without deliberately having to do so. They would never for example ask what Blaine had planned for a holiday or a weekend. He couldn't remember them ever asking about Kurt.

"I was calling to ask if you had any thoughts on Cooper's party actually "

" Yes he called about it. And we're not sure really, we thought maybe we could let you all do your thing and have a family thing here."

Blaine wasn't sure if he was relieved or if he was annoyed that they couldn't or wouldn't go.

" You'll be going, Cooper said you would be there. I am sure there'll be lots of people there so we won't be missed. Your dad and I were thinking that may be a family event would be more suitable and we could all celebrate as a family" She added. Blaine was pretty sure that was not what Cooper said, he always seemed a bit more gutsy with their parents and would have mentioned Kurt.

" I think you should come, its Cooper's party, he's hosting and Kurt's organising it they've both put a lot of thought into it already and I know Kurt will insure its fabulous " Blaine usually avoided mentioning Kurt's name at all in any conversation with his parents which were now almost existing on a purely functional basis. But this evening he felt guilty about his earlier conversation with Kurt, which he would do his best to fix later but also because he knew that inspite of the awkwardness Kurt really did want to organise the party and it really would be nothing short of amazing.

" I see. Well I think the family thing might be a good idea then. "

His mother had decided to ignore what her son had just said. Blaine really didn't want to have a second argument by telephone the same day, and now he was exhausted. He looked at the work in front of him and fatigue took over. He just wanted to go home and mend things with Kurt now. It was 9.10 and if he left shortly he could be home by 9.45pm.

"I'll speak to Cooper, but I think he would like one party with all his friends and family in one place. And to be honest I am not sure I want to travel back another weekend leaving Kurt behind. Please think about that. I need to go " He said it as gently as he could not showing any aggression at all. He knew his mother's mention of " family" meant without Kurt and for now it was a point he wasn't going to push, especially as there was no chance at all that Kurt would agree to go to a family event even if his mother were to begrudgingly invite him.

"Well, I should go now too, its late and I don't want to keep you longer in the office, good night Blaine"

" Good night mom."

He quickly dialled again, this time the home phone. He thought that Kurt was more likely to pick that one up than the mobile, even though he was sure that Kurt would stop being mad at him.

" Hey " He said gently on hearing Kurt pick up the phone.

" Hey" came back the reply, matching his own tone.

" I'm leaving now, do you think you can stay up until I get back, I just wanted to talk to you a bit and tell you I am sorry before you go to sleep."

" Yes, Blaine, I can stay up.."

" Good, I'll see you then..I am walking away now" he said, leaving his small office and closing the door behind him.

**So, please review, its my first story so your comments would be so wonderful and so welcome xx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Blaine watched Kurt for a few moments while he wiped down the kitchen countertops in their apartment. He had entered the flat quietly, and now stood just watching Kurt. The elegance of Kurt was always something that struck him, his softness and grace. And now Kurt was stretching his arms along the counter gently wiping, while softly humming.

"Clearing up then" he said as Kurt slowed his movements and Blaine realised Kurt became aware of his presence.

"Aha" he said pausing for a moment and looking up.

" You got back quicker than I thought you would" he continued, going back to wiping the countertops but with less precision then before.

Blaine moved away from the entrance to the room and came and stood opposite Kurt on the otherside of the counter.

" I rushed a bit, I just wanted to catch you before you started getting ready for bed."

"Yep" most his annoyance and hurt had gone but it still felt a bit awkward seeing Blaine in front of him.

" So, did you get the stuff you needed to do done then ? Do you want something to eat?" He said quite neutrally, still continuing wiping.

" I'm fine with food, I had an Americano pizza, but no I didn't get everything I needed doing, doesn't matter, I can wing it this time...Kurt I am sorry for being snappy earlier and saying that thing about holidays, it just makes me cringe just even thinking it about it." He said the words slowly and somewhat tentatively.

Kurt stopped wiping and looked up " And I am sorry for being in a grump with you for working late, I just want to spend a bit more time with you sometimes. " He sounded a little whiny and looked down again.

"I know you do, and I do too" Said Blaine taking Kurt's hand in both of his " and I _do notice_ all the things you do for us during the holidays, God, even the stuff you do for us when it isn't the holidays. We'd be still eating from packing crates if things were left to me" Kurt sniffed a little.

Blaine smiled a little at the memory of when they first moved to their apartment. It was the fourth apartment that they had leased together since graduating. Each apartment was a little better in a different way to the last. This one had a large master bedroom with so much wardrobe space that it _" was fit for a King, and nearly fit for you, Kurt"_ Each room in the flat except the bathroom had windows with views over the never ceasing rush of Manhattan below. The Kitchen and living room where together with a counter bar dividing the room space. They liked that, as Blaine could chat to Kurt while he cooked or Kurt could call out instructions on the rare occasions that Blaine cooked. Kurt had asked the owner if he could redecorate the apartment and when Kurt had sent him some colours swabs and sketches the owner readily agreed. So the once white apartment was now decorated in sugared almond colours and the main room this greeny blue colour that was bright and happy.

" Wine ?" said Kurt reaching into the fridge to find a bottle and moving freeing his hands from Blaine gently. He reached up to the cabinet and took down a glass.

"Wine" replied Blaine.

Kurt pulled the cork from an already opened bottle. Blaine moved to the other side of the counter, snaking his arms around Kurt's waist and leaning his forehead on his shoulder, while Kurt poured the chilled wine into the glass.

Blaine just continued to lean on him and Kurt moved his head to rest gently against his. " So what did you cook then" Blaine asked after a few moments.

" I thought you had eaten ?"

" I have, I just wanted to know what was on the menu for tomorrow."

" Lamb tagine with apricots…does that meet his lordships approval?"

" We'll see" said Blaine smirking and reaching in front of Kurt to reach for the glass and pull it back to take a sip, he then replaced his arms to where they were before, before sliding a hand further down and into Kurt's. He moved Kurt gently around and then folded his arms across Kurt's shoulders leaning forward and kissing him. They stood like that for a few moments before Blaine walked gently tugging him along to their bed room.

* * *

><p>A few days later and Kurt was looking at his list of students deciding which he could continue teaching after the holidays finished and he was back teaching full time. He didn't want to eat in to the precious time that he and Blaine had together so weekends were out. Even though Blaine was still frequently working weekends he didn't want to have regular students then so they could make the most of the time that they had. He decided that he could easily have a few 5pm students and still get home before Blaine did to start on supper, he could probably have regular students later than that as Blaine worked many evenings although he was doing a lot better at letting Kurt know in advance, and a lot better at planning evenings where the two of them could just go out to see a show or have dinner.<p>

His phone rang and Kurt looked down at the screen to see Jame's name flash. Kurt was due to teach James for an hour that evening.

"Hi James" he said picking up the call.

" Hi Kurt, I am really sorry but I have been asked to go to a meeting this evening which is going to clash with our lesson." Kurt had a policy of charging his students a lesson fee if they cancelled without 24 hours notice, but generally he gave them a grace cancellation. He just didn't want this students to get into a pattern of thinking it was ok to call up and cancel at short notice.

"Oh, did you want to reschedule or skip this week?" Kurt responded.

"Well, I was wondering if you could teach me a bit later? This week is going to be a bit of a night mare and I have been a model student and done all my home work " he added with more than a hint of cheekiness at the end.

" What time do you think, I might have to check though ?" Kurt asked unphased he was beginning to think that James had a bit of a flirty manner about him but put it down to just that, a flirty manner rather than actually flirting.

"Well at say 7.00?

" Might be ok, I'll need to check, but the coffee shop will be closing around then, I could meet you at your office as it's a one off "

" Oh, there's no way I want to be here longer than I have to. I thought about that though and there's a little diner, sort of place quite near the coffee shop, we could meet there and have a snack or something. I really appreciate you accommodating me Kurt, so I'll cover any extra cost."

" Listen that's fine, I'll check with you and get back, text me the address though."

Kurt called Blaine who seemed a little relived when Kurt asked if they could eat later.

" Actually, I think I'll be done here around 8.00pm, so that sort of suits. Let me know where you'll be, I'll pick you up for dinner…don't want you to spend too much time with James. " Blaine was joking, but Kurt liked the little play of mock jealously.

" He's straight… and he'll be gone in a few months " he laughed back.

When Kurt arrived at the address that James had texted he found himself standing in front of a small but stylish bistro. Before he had a moment to think any more he noticed James in a corner on a small table with a glass of red wine. He waved and smiled at Kurt. For a moment Kurt felt a bit embarrassed, this was not a diner, it wasn't quite a date restaurant but it was a restaurant nonetheless and he didn't quite like the idea that he might have misled Blaine even if it was not his intention to do so.

"Will it be alright to teach here ?" he said looking around at the couples ordering dinner.

" Its fine, I checked when I booked, we can just have a few appetisers, would you like some wine ?"

" Er no, water will be fine"

" Are you sure, it is French wine..." he said gesturing at the glass.

"I'm fine, but thank you" Kurt began unpacking his bag. He felt a bit uncomfortable. James was really beaming at him. He realised that he hadn't really mentioned to James that he had a boyfriend, it wasn't something that really had come up and to be honest the art of teaching a language is to get the student to do the talking and not the other way around. He thought that now might be the time to bring the subject up, but James had launched into his near fluent French talking about some news articles that had appeared in the papers that day. _So he really has done his homework_ thought Kurt

Towards the end of the hour, James offered Kurt another glass of wine.

" My boyfriend will swing by shortly, we're going to head out to dinner. "

" Oh, ok " responded James, the tone of his voice sounded slightly awkward. " We could always have one until he arrives, couldn't we"

" Sure" Kurt just felt it would be more awkward to sit looking at his watch waiting for Blaine, and in fact James was actually good company. They began chatting quite animatedly dipping between English and French. Kurt looked at his watch and noticed that he spent over half and hour with James after the lesson and that Blaine must be running late.

He looked at his mobile which he had switched to slient to not interrupt the lesson. There was a text from Blaine.

" En route xx"

" Is he coming ?" asked James curiously.

" yep" said Kurt, putting the phone down, as he heard Blaine's voice at the entrance speaking to a waiter. " Here he is now" he said turning around in his seat to smile at Blaine. Blaine always did the corporate look so well. He was just one of those people who looked better smart, it just, thought Kurt, made him look even sexier. He came up to Kurt and squeezed his shoulder gently. Kurt, moved a chair forward for Blaine to sit down, before introducing him to James.

" Are you ready for dinner, babe ?" said Blaine, catching sight of the wine glasses and mostly drunk bottle on the table. Blaine wasn't quite sure if he should invite James to join them but felt it would be a little rude not to, but then also felt that Kurt might not want to his students having dinner with them. He hadn't quite expected James to be quite so attractive, Kurt hadn't mentioned that to him at all. James was sitting in a light blue cotton shirt which off set his olive skin and clear blue eyes. He had that soft sandy looking hair that looked a little ruffled. But then Kurt didn't really talk much about his private pupils he was always so much more interested in the school children that he taught and Blaine loved that, thinking how lucky they were to have a teacher like Kurt.

" Would you like to join us James ?" Blaine said looking at him directly, while sitting down and sliding a hand to Kurt's knee.

" That's very kind of you, but I think I'll settle up and be going, start on the home work this one keeps giving me. " He said looking at Kurt and getting up from the table.

" Oh, let me get at least half" offered Kurt, rather wishing that Blaine wasn't there to see James picking up the tab for them.

" Oh not at all, you haven't really touched your wine, I had most of that" He pointed to the bottle.

" Thanks" Kurt looked back at James trying not to show his slightly puzzled look. Kurt hadn't drunk much during the lesson but had easily had two glasses afterwards. It struck Kurt that may be James thought that Blaine would be a bit rattled if he thought that Kurt had been drinking with him.

* * *

><p>Kurt and Blaine were sitting in a sushi bar, they both still loved sushi just happy in each other's company. " So, Mister" said Blaine, playfully.<p>

" You never mentioned that the dinner a deux I rescued you from was with a hot guy?"

" When did you become the French speaker in this relationship ?" Kurt replied " And it wasn't dinner a deux…its dinner at deux now…with this hot guy" Kurt waved his chopsticks at Blaine.

" lucky I came and rescued you then"

" rescued me from what ? He's straight. I am sure he mentioned something about girlfriends"

" sure ?"

" Er, actually not sure, but he's straight"

" Really Kurt?"

" Yeah ?"

" I think you'll find he's not, honey I don't want to be mean but your gaydar isn't the best model… and I think he's got a bit of a crush on you"

Kurt knew that Blaine was referring back to a catalogue of incidents in the time that they had known each. Firstly Kurt confessed to having a crush on his step brother before he was his step brother, then at college he had actually gone back to a guy's room to see some drawings genuinely thinking the guy was straight and needed a his advice on art. Like it or not Blaine had a point.

" Well I think you're wrong" Kurt added "but for the record I never stop having a crush on you…." He popped another piece of sushi into his mouth... and anyway why do you think that ?" He pouted at Blaine.

" Well, one, he chose a place that was so not a diner but not too obvious… and two, he was looking at me too much…"

" So what makes you think he hasn't a crush on you?" Kurt said looking at Blaine.

" Because he was sizing up the competition…."

**Thanks so much for reading...please review**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Kurt had spent the few weeks since Cooper had announced his intention to have a birthday party scouring magazines and spending hours on the web coming up with different ideas. The invites had been sent and the theme decided. Cooper had tactfully vetoed the idea for" birds" which involved releasing doves from his balcony….he politely confessed to having a convenient allergy to Doves…one that Blaine had heard for the first time . Eventually after many exchanges of emails and phone calls Kurt had decided and Cooper agreed on the title " Toys to Gadgets" inspired by Cooper's Gadget corner. The invites had been sent out by email with a specially designed e- card which Kurt had drawn. The invites were sent to Cooper and copied to Kurt so he could tally up the invites sent and the acceptances. After the dinner at Cooper's house the topic of Cooper's and Blaine's parents wasn't raised again. Kurt suspected that Blaine probably had spoken to them by now but hadn't asked him directly, it was always a bit of a fraught topic and something of a mood killer. Blaine on the other had had decided not to tell Kurt about the " Family Party" as no sooner than his mother had announced the suggestion he decided he was not going to go, and knew it was pretty unlikely that his brother would either. There was one thing having a party to mark a major birthday but it was quite another to have a series of events.

Blaine was eating at sandwich at his desk and look at emails at work when Cooper called on his mobile.

" Hi Blaine... are you free to talk for a moment"

Cooper told Blaine how their father had called to say that they would like to hold a large family dinner, and that meant and aunts, uncles, cousins " the lot" to mark Cooper's birthday, but that he had told them that he really only wanted one event and that would be the party that he was hosting. He had thanked them for the gesture but it wasn't one he would be able to accept. He also had explained to them that Kurt was organising it for him, had spent what must be literally days researching and booking things and he was sure it would be amazing. His father listened in silence. After some further discussion his father agreed they would come, but didn't say anything about Kurt at all. Things were pretty much the same as always on that score, Kurt wasn't mentioned at all.

" Well it sounded awful to me and regardless of the fact that as a grown man I don't really want or need my mom to organise my birthday parties, I just thought I'd let you know that they'll be coming to New York and coming to the party, can you find a way of telling Kurt, I know it should probably come from me too, but I made a bit of a hash about it the last time. He will still come won't he?"

Blaine sighed. " I'll talk to him, you didn't make a hash about it at all, I am glad they are coming for you though"

They talked a little more about other things but Blaine was just a bit pre-occupied with how to tell Kurt, and decided that it was better to get it over and done with when he got home that evening. The party was still a few weeks away and at least he'd get some time to adjust to the idea.

Kurt was in the bathroom cleaning when Blaine got home that evening, he noticed a vase of fresh flowers on the table and some asparagus in a sieve with some sliced mushrooms which Kurt had put out in preparation for dinner, Blaine smiled to himself and slung his jacket on the sofa. He noticed Kurt's laptop on the coffee table, open and couldn't stop himself from stealing a peak. He expected to see something to do with the party to be honest or a youtube page open. He looked the screen to see " CV of KURT HUMMEL". Immediately Blaine felt he'd intruded, _Crap. _Kurt hadn't mentioned he was looking for a job and Blaine smarted to think that this was something to do with his flippant remark about Kurt being a teacher. He'd apologised but even Blaine had to admit that it was such a stinging comment that he had made that it was unlikely to be forgotten easily. Blaine didn't want two difficult conversations that evening and decided that he would broach the subject of Kurt's CV another time, for all he knew he could be just updating it or it might be something that Kurt was going to tell him soon anyway. Either way, he wanted to let Kurt have the chance to speak to him. He sighed deeply and tried to get the idea out of his head. He needed to focus on the news that his parents would be going to the party. The lap top page flipped back to Kurt's screen saver of a happy Blaine and Kurt arms around each other's shoulders with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

"Hey" said Kurt walking up to Blaine who was now propped on a bar stool in the kitchen trying to open a bottle of beer. He leaned forward and kissed him gently. Blaine hugged him around his waist, sliding down from the bar tool, retuning the kiss and holding him.

" Do you want one ?" he said pointing towards the bottle.

Kurt wriggled a little to get out from Blaine's grip and helped himself from the fridge. They spoke a little about their day as they always did each evening and Kurt turned the stove on and filled a pan with water to begin heating the pasta and steaming the asparagus at the same time.

" Sweet heart" said Blaine tentatively, pulling him away from the stove and turning Kurt to face him, an arm returning to what seemed to be its homing position on Kurt's waist.

" Yes" said Kurt slowly instinctively knowing that Blaine was about to bring something up.

" Cooper told me today that Mom and Dad are coming the party"

"Oh" he said nodding his head at the same time.

" They know you are organising it and they know that you will be there with me..., it will be fine babe," he said squeezing Kurt, who was now pouting a little closer.

" They won't speak to me or look at me, will they..." Kurt's voice began to falter a little as he spoke, it wasnt a question but an acknowledgement of a fact.

" I could lie to you and say that that my dad will give you a bear hug and my mum will talk to you about outfits….but you are right, no they probably won't talk to you" Blaine said quietly.

" But you're there for me, and there for Cooper, not for them…" Blaine looked into Kurt's eyes, with a sense of pleading, he still had his arms wrapped around Kurt's waist, he pulled him a little close and gently kissed the tip of Kurt's nose.

Kurt looked down and fixed his gaze on the counter top.

"You promise not to leave me alone with them ? " he said not entirely seriously.

" I promise, babe. Not for a moment"

"I thought about it a bit after we had dinner with Cooper, and I can cope with it, but please don't just leave me when they're around."

" deal" said Blaine, and pulling him forward into a hug now.

* * *

><p>" I've got your non fat mocha already" said James standing up to greet Kurt as he walked towards their table in the coffee shop. James was smiling at him broadly and reached forward to give him something of a half hug.<p>

" You know my coffee order ?" queried Kurt. He couldn't recollect ordering it more than twice in front of James. "I'm impressed" he added.

" Of course I know your order..." James laughed.

" So did you have a fun evening when I last saw you" he asked after sitting down, looking at Kurt directly, Kurt in turn searched his mind to think back to what James was referring to.

" Yeah, we went for sushi, it's my favourite and Blaine's pretty keen on it too. " Kurt paused a little, before deciding what to say next, James interrupted in the short space in time.

" He's very dashing isn't he ?"

Kurt paused, making sure he had understood the reference correctly.

" Blaine ? I like to think so..." He paused again, a little hesitant, and feeling slightly awkward, so he began opening the pages of the text book to move on with the lesson. " So we were going to look at future conditional ?" He said a little authoritatively.

The hour moved very quickly and Kurt began to leaf through his folder of exercises to decide on what to give James for homework over the following week. He pulled one from the folder and handed it to him.

" See how you get on with that one..." James quickly put the exercise between the pages of his book and back into his bag.

" Have you got time for another coffee ? " James enquired turning to look up to Kurt again. There was something on Kurt's mind, he was curious to know if Blaine was right about James, but he couldn't quite find the right way to ask, and dropping it into conversation just seemed to Kurt both clumsy and awkward, not that James seemed to have a problem with asking Kurt questions. Kurt didn't need to look at his watch, Blaine had already called earlier in the day to say that he would be running late and that he wouldn't make it home for dinner that evening. Kurt wasn't grumpy anymore, he was just a little resigned to the pattern that Blaine's work was making on their lives.

" Yeah, sure, Blaine's on a late shift again..."

" Again ?"

" Sorry, I didn't mean that to sound like how it came out. He just works really hard and his job is pretty demanding so, sometimes he works late, it's just one of those things" Kurt said just a little defensively.

" Well, let's get a glass of wine then, if you don't need to get back, we can celebrate the future conditional.. Blaine won't mind will he ?."

Kurt didn't wholly fancy going back to an empty flat and quite liked the idea of chatting with James a bit longer. James was just relaxed and breezy, he was constantly cheery and Kurt liked that about him. With Blaine working longer it meant that he spent more and more of his day on his own, which was not something that bothered him but at the same time it was a bright sunny evening and he might as well enjoy it. He wasn't however sure what James meant by his question, but decided to answer the question that he hoped James was asking, rather than the one that he had a feeling that he was asking.

" What that I am having a drink, while he's busy in the office ? – He's not like that, honestly Blaine's really easy going, he lets me off the leash sometimes you know." Kurt laughed a little as he spoke.

" Sure.." James replied unconvincingly, picking up his jacket. " There's a nice bar near the station in one of the hotels, buzzy but not to noisey, do you fancy trying there?"

Kurt learned that the best way to find new places in New York was basically to go on recommendations. James was stylish and in that effortless way, even in a suit he had an air of someone modelling it rather than wearing it for 10 hours a day. After a short walk they found themselves in a roof top bar in a hotel with views over Madison Avenue. It was stylish but not uncomfortably so and the terrace where they were sitting had an almost quaint touch to it, with scattered pots of flowers. James ordered a martini and insisted on Kurt trying another from the list.

" So" said Kurt after they had chatted a while and he was feeling relaxed and freer after his drink. " Do you live on your own, or have a girlfriend or" He had noticed that this wasn't information that James had offered up on his own, and in his mind he wanted to be able to prove that Blaine was wrong and that James was straight.

" I've just had a break up actually, well not just, a few months back really. But its fine, it was the best thing really, we weren't on the same page.."

" Oh..I am sorry" replied Kurt, genuinely looked a little distressed. The combination of Kurt and drink made made Kurt a little more emotional than he should be.

" Hey, its not so serious" James laughed gently. " We just wanted different things, but I think that was because we weren't really right for each other, I think we've all been there"

Kurt was relaxing more and didn't feel that he minded asking James more questions, especially since Blaine must have read James wrong after all.

" I haven't really, been there that is, me and Blaine we've known each other for so long that we just sort of evolve together really..." he said matter of factly.

" How long is so long ?"

"Since High School.. It never feels that way really, I mean sometimes it does but in a good way."

" You're kidding ? really, me and Alex were together less than a year, I can't imagine knowing someone for so long..."

" I don't think about it really..." said Kurt pausing he was conscious that he didn't want to reveal too much about him and Blaine it felt a little too personal, it was fine to talk about personal things that were his but not about things that he shared with Blaine. So he tried to change the conversation around a little.

" Do you still keep in touch with your ex then?" he queried.

"we weren't friends before so I didn't see the point in trying to be friends after. But I've run into him in bars, he's pretty cool about things, we chat a little and that's enough really." It was James' turn to be matter of fact now.

Kurt felt embarrassed and slightly warm, he nervously shifted the collar on the shirt he was wearing.

" Him ? I didn't get that, sorry, I am pretty awful at guessing...sorry, I just assumed you were talking about a girlfriend "

"I thought you might have, that's cute, I wasn't sure if you realised or not. Are you sure Blaine won't mind this then ?" He looked at Kurt somewhat mischievously and pointing at the space between them.

" Of course he won't " Kurt replied just a little too defensivley, thinking that may be Blaine wouldn't mind but neither would he be over the moon about the idea of him and James getting a little tipsy over cocktails.

**Hope you enjoyed it...Please review**


	8. Chapter 8

Kurt looked forward to his weekly lesson with James, to tell the truth he hadn't found making friends in New York easy. Him and Blaine spent most of their spare time just with each other. He wasn't one for making friends through work, many of the men at work were older than him and would rush to the families at the end of the day. And to be honest, he'd found socialising with people from work had a habit of feeling a little like he was still in the office. He'd occasionally have coffee after classes with one of the female teachers but that was still on a very occasional basis. He also felt more than anything guilty about going out in the evenings just in case it clashed with an evening when Blaine was able to come into time for them to share dinner together. He had told Blaine that he'd often have a drink with James after their lesson and Blaine in many ways was glad that Kurt didn't have to spend another evening on his own while he continued working in the office. He knew each week there'd be a few evenings when he would just have to stay late just to get things done, so in a way it made him feel less of the guilt he felt when he couldn't make it home before Kurt was heading to bed.

" So , have you heard any more about that transfer to Paris then, you must be getting quite excited now" Kurt asked James as they sat on the balcony of their now favourite bar in the hotel. Kurt knew he'd miss James when he left for Paris, he had become accustomed and looked forward to their jokey conversations and playful banter and just having something, a friendship that was his alone.

James looked into his glass momentarily before answering, he was drinking his favourite lychee martini and swirling his finger around the rim. He turned to look up with his blue eyes catching Kurt.

" About that" he paused. " The trip's off actually, my company isn't doing transfers anymore because it's just too costly to ship people over to Europe and given the French economy it doesn't look like a viable business option after all…"

" Oh" said Kurt, he really didn't quite know what to say._ So you're now learning French why?_

" I suppose I should have mentioned it earlier.."

" No, honestly its fine, I'ts not for me to ask why you take my lessons.." Kurt answered. Theoretically he was right, it wasn't his business why a student wanted to learn French it was just his job to teach it to them. But he felt slightly put out by James' confession, during the one hour lesson, Kurt was paid to be James teacher, he spoke politely to James and calmly ignoring the odd flirty banter that James would slip in. After the lesson it was different, the rules changed and they were now friends. James and him would take turns to pay the bill, although James would frequently make up an excuse to explain why Kurt shouldn't have to pay from " it's my treat to celebrate finishing a chapter" . Kurt would invariably give in, as James would snatch the bill away, handing it and his credit card to the waiter.

"I should have told you Kurt, I just wanted to learn more French…its fun learning it with you"

"It's a great language" replied Kurt really not quite knowing what to say and deciding to ignore the end of James' answer " It doesn't matter why you are learning it, but I am glad that you are"

James was smiling again and looking less serious. "Well I enjoy it, I enjoy my lessons with you and this…" he said pointing to the space between them.

"Me too" said Kurt, the feeling of the second cocktail, taking hold and his reserve beginning to falter.

" Have you eaten" asked James.

" Sure, I snuck in a three course meal when you nipped to the bathroom…" added Kurt mockingly.

"very clever, shall we get some food ?" asked James.

"Are you hungry?" Kurt said, now it was his turn to look at the glass in front of him.

" not really, but its only 8.30 and we've had a few cocktails so it would seem the sensible thing to do, or you could go home to prince charming and I could go home to the cat"

" I didn't know you have a cat ?" Kurt suddenly looked up excitedly.

" I don't, but you do have prince charming"

"And seriously I am beginning to feel like Cinderella…" Kurt stopped himself, he felt mean. " He's working "

" And he won't mind"

Kurt was really now feeling quite drunk, and bolder.

" And you would mind if he did? He doesn't mind and he knows I am here with you." Kurt's reply wasn't exactly the truth, but it was a good approximation. Yes, Blaine knew Kurt was with James and was likely to be having a drink after their lesson, a drink not three martinis.

"I am too drunk to move, can we eat here?" asked Kurt.

"Wherever you like, you wish is my command " answered James' pretending to doth an imaginary cap from his head. Kurt smiled a little at James' response.

They were seated at a table in the bistro that formed part of the hotel but was at pavement level so that unless you actually were from the hotel or from the bar, as Kurt and James were, it looked like a pavement café. James handed Kurt a menu and after asking " red or white" to which Kurt replied "white". James quickly ordered the wine and they both then decided pasta to eat…Kurt secretly hoping it would have a sober effect on him.

" I need to ask your opinion about something…" Kurt asked looking at James as he swirled his fork in the plate of pasta that had just arrived in front of him.

" I have an interview at one of the banks for a job as a translator" Kurt continued, still swirling his fork and presenting the news as matter of factly as he could.

" you're giving up teaching ?" James asked looking disappointed and surprised. His first thought was whether their evenings together would end.

" well not to you" Kurt responed and then as if realising that he was suddenly flirting added. " I mean I can still have a few private pupils but I was thinking that I would like to do something different"

James just nodded letting Kurt talk some more. " It's just that, I don't always feel that valued for what I do and I think that may be I should do more , be a bit more ambitious, it just feels as though I am not really taken that seriously doing what I do.." Kurt realised that he was rambling, but continued anyway, explaining that he didn't feel that teaching was right for him after all, but that he did like working with children but found himself a little listless during the holidays. James teased him a little explaining that Kurt was probably the first person who ever felt that they had too much holiday. Kurt did not mention that he felt guilty when Blaine was working such hours that he spent the day at home or out enjoying himself.

James, let Kurt finish speaking and when he felt that Kurt had argued all the points and cleared all the thoughts in his mind he put his fork down and looked at Kurt:

" People respect teachers Kurt, in a way that they don't respect other jobs. When someone trusts you with their child's education that's trusting you with the thing that is most important to them in their life, so don't put you or what you do down. " James leant forward. For a moment Kurt thought that James was going to take his hand, but James reached for Kurt's hand and then moved to place his hand on the middle part of Kurt's arm which he squeezed gently.

" I want to give it a go though…" he added.

"Well, if its what you want and you know the reasons why you want to change than try it, if it doesn't work out, then what have you lost?" James despite being quite drunk as well was looking at Kurt and sitting upright. " Hey, don't look so serious" he added, he hadn't let go of Kurt's arm and just held it for a moment longer before gently releasing his grip.

" Would you help me?" Kurt asked " I just haven't had an interview in ages and in teaching you don't really have interviews, well not like for a big company, and being in HR I just wondered if you would be able to give me some guidance on what to expect" Kurt paused, biting his lip.

James sat for a moment quietly thinking.

" Yes, I have an idea, I'll go through some interview questions with you and I'll swap you a lesson, an hour of my help an hour of yours " He quickly realised as soon as he said it that this suggested that he didn't intend to pay Kurt for his lesson so before Kurt could even answer he added " I mean, I'll still pay for my lessons.."

Kurt looked confused now, " that's not exactly a swap if you pay and I don't is it?"

They continued to banter and crunch out the details of the arrangement, each protesting that something wasn't fair to the other. Eventually after a few more glasses of wine, they agreed that Kurt would teach his regular hour with James and after the lesson they would spend time on Kurt's interview preparation , in return and Kurt would buy the drinks, although James never really had any intention of letting him do that. James' suggested that they have a separate lesson where he would give Kurt a mock interview which they would discuss afterwards and suggested that they did that over dinner as it would be too difficult to have a mock interview in a bar. Kurt agreed, on the basis that he picked up the tab for dinner and that they could only have one glass of wine while the "interview " was taking place so that they would not be too tipsy.

Kurt felt relieved that he had spoken to James about the interview and that they had agreed a plan. James' looked at his watch and noticed that it was nearly 11pm and Kurt looked slightly panicked, and James sensing the same handed the waiter his credit card to settle the bill.

When Kurt arrived home to the apartment that evening, he was still totally drunk, he had shared a taxi with James who had insisted that it dropped off Kurt first, apologising to Kurt for keeping him out. Kurt just looked again at his watch and said that he needed to get back as Blaine would be arriving home and he wanted to be there for when he got back. James had teased him gently again about rushing back from the ball or turning into a pumpkin.

When Kurt got into the apartment the lights were off, so he made himself some warm milk before pottering about and flicking through the tv channels to see if there was anything worth watching, before he got ready for bed or Blaine came home. It was then he noticed Blaine's soft leather bag slung by the sofa . He had been too drunk on arriving in the apartment to notice Blaine's shoes by the entrance. Slightly swearing to himself , he crept into the bedroom to see Blaine in bed, quietly sleeping, his soft curls dishevelled on the pillow. Kurt was always quite a playful cute drunk. He slid on to the bed so that he was lying along side Blaine, fully clothed, his shoes on the bed as well. He placed a soft wet kiss as deep as he could Blaine's cheek, between where his head rested and the pillow. Blaine sighed a little and wrapped an arm around Kurt pulling him in a little closer. " Where've you been…." He mumbled, without opening his eyes

" just having a drink with James after our lesson… sorry I didn't realise the time " Kurt mumbled back as he buried his head nearer to Blaine's.

" Ah, hot James, is was he trying to get you drunk beautiful …?." Blaine snuggled against Kurt more, sniffing him slightly exaggeratedly. " You smell of booze…babe" Blaine mumbled again, but this time gently lifting to place a soft kiss on Kurt's cheek. "

"… brush your teeth, and get into bed, I need a cuddle.." he continued to mumble. Kurt obediently did as he was told, pulling himself from the bed. He returned having sneaked in a quick shower as well, and fell beneath the covers to snuggle up to Blaine, who on feeling Kurt's weight in the bed, completely enveloped him with his arms, holding him tightly. " Good night babe" he muttered before falling into a deep sleep.


	9. Chapter 9  Cooper's party  part 1

This chapter is going to be in two parts…..

Chapter 9

The relationship between Kurt and Mr and Mrs Anderson, or Blaine's mom and dad wasn't really one at all. For most of the time it didn't matter but around Holidays and family events it did. There was an unspoken rule that Blaine would go to any family gatherings where the Andersons were invited as a family alone and without Kurt, for most of the time he did a good job of avoiding these altogether. When his father's business partner's daughter got married, Blaine just found an excuse not to go, the same would apply to 60th birthday parties of aunts and uncles. When his mother turned the same age, he went along with Cooper and caught a flight back to New York the next day. Christmas and Thanksgiving were more difficult, at Christmas Blaine would stay with Kurt at the Hummel's family home and have Christmas Eve dinner with his parents, he would then spend Christmas day with the Hummels and go and see his parents for an evening cocktail. He hated to leave the warm cosiness of Kurt's family home where he could relax with Kurt and his family, but his parents were getting older and he loved them, he was worried that if he didn't spend some time with them, there would come a point when he had no time left to spend.

Blaine was never one to be a rebel, he felt more comfortable about fitting in with a situation rather than taking control it. The day after Christmas, Kurt and him would usually find some excuse to just spend the day together and book a lunch at one of Ohio's fancier hotels, it was often the only period in the holidays that they could just be together, they had developed a little tradition between them of giving each other a gift that they had made for each other that day –the gifts were getting more and more original as the years went on, Kurt's last gift was a pen tray for Blaine's desk at work – he had carefully glued coloured beads along it, Blaine in return had given Kurt a little handkerchief with Kurt's initials, it had taken him ages to make and it wasn't the finest example of embroidery but Kurt loved it. Thanksgiving was spent with the Hummels, where Blaine and Kurt's step brother Finn, and Kurt's dad would watch the game, while Kurt and his step mother would fuss over the turkey and Kurt would spend for ever on the table decoration. Blaine would make his apologies and go and see his parents in the evening. Frankly it was exhausting for him, he felt like the child of divorced parents. Kurt would be patient with all the to-ing and fro-ing, Kurt's father, Burt, less so, he found it hard to understand how parents who loved their children could be so unaccepting of their children.

In the eleven or so years since Kurt had met the Anderson family he had barely seen Blaine's parents more than a handful of times and usually when he was waiting in the car to collect Blaine which he occasionally did when Blaine had called him saying _Please pick me up, I had to down a few cocktails just to get through this evening._

* * *

><p>" you look amazingly gorgeous today" Blaine whispered in to Kurt's ear as he leant down to pick up a canapé from the slate square that the waiting was holding in front of him. Kurt giggled a little and smiled back, slightly smacking Blaine's hand.<p>

" Hey leave some for the guests greedy "

" I'm hungry…" whined Blaine, popping the canapé in his mouth and reaching for another, before Kurt, gave the waiter a little shove to move. " We've not invited any horses have we? Have you seen how much food is on the buffet table and I its my reward for helping you" Said Blaine trying to sound serious

" Helping" Kurt looked quizzically, " Sweetheart, I know you folded the napkins, and I am grateful but…"

Blaine looked at him with puppy dog eyes, catching Kurt's eyes in his gaze, it was a trick that he played to perfection and knew that it was the easiest way to get Kurt to give in…

" I helped by keeping out of the way…."

" Alright…go for it , " Kurt said, signalling for a waiter to return to them. Blaine had just gulped another canapé, when he noticed his parents entering the room.

" They're here, earlier than I thought…well actually they always think that you attend a party at the exact time on the invite." Blaine suddenly sobered up from his earlier playful banter. Kurt knew who

was speaking about but decided to just check anyway.

" Who's here ?

" Come on " said Blaine, pulling Kurt slightly by the arm and not answering his question.

Mr and Mrs Anderson moved from the entrance to the room where they had stopped momentarily. Mrs Anderson was wearing a figure hugging champagne coloured dress with a deep v neck, she looked expensive and Kurt could almost smell her perfume as she entered. Her jewellery was catching the light as she walked towards the pair. Blaine's father was wearing a sports jacket and smart chino pants, not too dissimilar to what Blaine was wearing minus the sports jacket and plus a bow tie on Blaine's part.

"Darling " Said Mrs Anderson, sweeping her son into a hug. She released him momentarily. "You look so well"

Mr Anderson gave his son a slightly awkward hug the moment that his mother released him.

They both paused for a moment, Kurt stood next to Blaine quietly.

" Good afternoon, Mr and Mrs Anderson, I hope you had a good flight over and have settled into your hotel." Said Kurt politely, he knew better than to offer his hand to shake, that would have been a step too far.

" Yes, thank you, thank you for asking. " responded Mrs Anderson her voice a little stilted. She remembered how polite Kurt was when she had first met him, and always thought how she would like him in different circumstances, in one where this was not her son's boyfriend. She didn't need to know that part of her son's life.

The silence returned until Blaine decided to speak. " So, I hope you like the party, its all Kurt's ideas" Blaine gestured around the room that was now filling up with more guests.

" It looks very nice" Blaine's father commented.

Very nice was not the most imaginative description for Kurt's efforts. The balcony had a miniature train set running its entire length with open carriages that the waiters were meant to ensure were stocked with sweets, it was a nod to Cooper as a boy. The inside living room had Cooper's favourite films being broadcast on to a massive white canvas that covered the brick work along a main expanse of wall, at that moment The Bourne Ultimatum was being shown. In another corner various guests were playing tennis on a games console and in another area was a toy racing car track. Waiters wondered around the room holding trays of cocktails and glasses of champagne, others held canapés and in the kitchen area was the main buffet. There was of course small barrels full of bottles of beer that seemed to be going faster than the champagne. Blaine was looking longingly at that now and deeply regretted hi s poor timing in not having something to drink before his parents had arrived.

At that moment a waiter walked past, Kurt quickly caught him and handed two glasses of champagne to Blaine's parents. Blaine had always admired Kurt's capacity to forgive and give people a chance even when they had not always behaved the best to him. He was still in contact with his once tormentor from High School even if Blaine could never forgive him for trying to crush Kurt's spirit, Kurt seemed to try to understand why and forgive and that was what he seemed to be trying to do now. Blaine was a little taken aback by the thoughtfulness of the gesture and turned to look at Kurt smiling, he felt proud of him for taking the high ground even when his parents had albeit practically ignored him.

" Oh thank you " They muttered together, both somewhat phased.

" So, how's your job going Blaine" Blaine dreaded talking about work, it was bad enough having to spend hours in the office and at weekends let alone in the free time that they had. More to the point it was a topic of conversation that excluded Kurt, but it was seemingly now the only real topic of conversation that his parents had with him these days.

" Its going well really, I seem to be busy all the time, which is a bit of a drag and the hours are getting longer otherwise all good"

" Oh that must be difficult for you" said his mother sympathetically.

"Well, that's the law really, its hard until you get to be partner and even now that's not like it used to be…" His father continued to speak about the highs and lows of a career in law, not so much of a conversation but really a small lecture on the subject and not one that Blaine hadn't heard many times before.

Blaine was keen for the conversation to be less excluding for Kurt, but his parents seemed to be directly everything his way and didn't say anything they could both contribute too. Kurt had made an effort with them but they couldn't seem to make any back, they hadn't actually asked Kurt a thing. Slowly Blaine was beginning to feel angry, he wouldn't let any of his friends treat Kurt in this way, not that any of his friends would remain his friends if he did.

"Shall, I find Cooper for you " offered Blaine, stopping his father mid flow, in the hope that Cooper could take over. It also signalled to his parents that he was done talking about work or actually anything that had the effect whether deliberately or not of cutting Kurt out.

" Oh, we don't won't to interrupt him yet, I am sure he is looking after his guests…..we haven't seen you in ages and we want to talk to you….actually we thought it would be nice to have a family lunch tomorrow… it Sunday, I am sure that you don't have to go in to the office on a Saturday"

Kurt felt hot now and awkward, but before he could even begin to get upset he heard Blaine speaking

" Actually, me and Kurt wanted to treat Cooper to lunch tomorrow, you can join us all if you would like to, otherwise it will be just the three of us..." He spoke firmly and deliberately.

Kurt looked up a little taken a back, he had just planned on getting over a hangover, and realised that Blaine had conjured up the idea to claim back some territory, anyway it was a good idea to take Cooper out, he felt Blaine take hold of his hand as he said it.

" you don't mind my parents joining us do you Babe?" Blaine said squeezing his had affectionately.

It wasn't that Blaine avoided showing Kurt any affection in front of his parents it was just that he was never with Kurt in front of his parents, and in front of Kurt's parents they didn't have to think about anything.

" Yes, please join, us if you'd like to" added Kurt suddenly feeling stronger and squeezing Blaine's hand back.

"Well, we'll think about it, its kind of you to offer " Mrs Anderson said, directing her comment to Blaine.

Kurt excused himself to go and check on the waiters, he didn't feel anxious anymore and felt Blaine gently stroke his back as he left, but then gently caught his arm again halting him a little before he could leave " I love you babe.." Although Blaine hadn't intended anyone but Kurt hear, whether his parents heard it was easy to guess what Blaine had said from the beam that formed on Kurt's lips

Mr and Mrs Anderson knew from that moment that there had been a shift and that they would no longer be able to pretend that Kurt did not exist, if they wanted to see their son, they would have to include Kurt as well.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Party ….continued**

"You are actually drooling you know" Cooper leaned against the wall that his younger brother had also propped himself against, and without looking at him handed him a beer. Blaine was focussed forward, looking at Kurt, standing at the end of the room, checking the arrangement of canapés on a platter and ever so slightly nudging the garnish with his nimble fingers.

"It's your party, why aren't you dancing or getting drunk or something" replied Blaine, ignoring the comment.

"Because it's my party ….and actually I am drunk, but I was never one for dancing on tables…you didn't answer my question "

"What question..."

"Drooling?"

"Sorry, I thought our expensive education would have equipped you with basic grammar... that wasn't a question"

"It's my birthday, be nice…and stop deflecting"

"Ok, ok, I might be just looking at Kurt a little because he's the most …..Best thing in the room to look at…" Blaine was smiling as he spoke and still looking forward.

"It's sweet, really it is…" Cooper spoke and rolled his eyes at the same time.

"But..?"

"No but at all, actually, I just kind of think you're really lucky..."

"I don't ever not think that you know…"

"I mean not just with Kurt, he's great and all that but just to have someone to love like that and who loves you back, just as much…"

Almost as if Kurt could sense he was the subject of the conversation he turned around from talking to the group of Cooper's work friends that he had now moved to and smiled back at them, gently.

" My party is full of exes … I sort of felt I should invite them, but then again may be it wasn't one of my brighter ideas, your boyfriend did warn me that it could turn out like " four weddings and a funeral"… anyway, I am a teeny wee bit envious that you have someone to gawp at " he continued.

"I am not gawping, I just like looking at him…..urgh, and I don't even want to get into this, because you are not going to stop teasing me… "Blaine replied.

"I am not teasing; I think you're just bloody lucky to have that after so long…" Cooper said wistfully.

"I sort of knew we'd last too, I know logically meeting someone so young is bound to fail, but we're the exception…but you'll meet someone Cooper" Blaine's tone softened as he spoke to his brother, "and you could have settled but you didn't so, that's good too isn't it, so many people just seem to settle for someone rather than be happy alone?" Blaine's comment was expectant. His brother found it easy attracting women but for some reason found finding love hard, really Blaine suspected it was because he just hadn't met that right person and he admired his brother for not just marrying someone for companionship or settling as so many of their friends had by the time of their mid-thirties out of a fear of never meeting anyone else.

"Sometimes, I suppose, any way this is a bit too glum for my birthday party…I think I might have thought about limiting the exes though…God, I think I could actually hear one hissing at me." Cooper laughed a little and drank a little more beer.

"Ok, as we have sort of been talking about Kurt, can I ask you to keep a secret, seriously you can't tell anyone let alone him?" Blaine had turned to face Cooper his back to the rest of the room.

"Sounds serious" For a moment Blaine looked so serious he thought that Blaine was expecting him to cross his heart.

"It's a good secret..."

"Ok promise" Said Cooper with a certain degree of mock seriousness.

"Well, I am going to ask Kurt if he would like to be married…to me that is…..I sort of want to be married to him…" Blaine said shyly smiling his voice lowering in case anyone could hear him.

Cooper sighed deeply, and smiled.

"My little brother is going to be married…ah, well good for you, what's brought this on though?"

"Well it's not definite, I mean I have to ask Kurt and he has to say yes first, but that's the general idea" Blaine nervously added. " I don't know, it just feels as though I want more, it's as this isn't enough, I sort of want him to be mine and for that to be a public thing, I don't know exactly why but I really just really love him and I just want to give him everything….I just want us to be complete… I've been thinking about it a while."

"Have you talked about it? I mean it's a pretty dead cert he'll say yes, but does he know?"

" well, yes and no, I mean we sort of both said that we couldn't see any difference to being married or not married, but I think there is to be honest, I don't think I believe that anymore, when we had no option because the law wouldn't allow us, then we had no choice so I never thought about it too much, but now we can and… it just feels like a bigger commitment and I want that for us, I suppose and if we ever wanted to adopt children then I would want us to be married, and I think as non-God fearing as Kurt is I think that he would want that too….. Do you really think he'll say yes then?"

For a while Cooper didn't answer, he sort of wondered how he and his brother had turned out so different, so similar in many ways and so different in others. Blaine had found what he wanted and knew what he wanted. Cooper just couldn't find what he wanted, and strangely Blaine was the more traditional one of the two, he saw himself as the provider and wanted Kurt and a family with him. Cooper thought it amusing that Blaine had a slight doubt that Kurt would say yes, but then he also thought his brother rather worshipped Kurt, actually it was quite mutual, when he had occasionally met Kurt on his own when Blaine was out of town, and he honestly thought Kurt was literally pining.

"Are you really seriously doubting Kurt will say yes, you told me that he used to have a photo of you in his locker when you were at school, I bet you he still carries a photo of you around….I am really glad and I am happy for you both…..you know I really really like Kurt, I always have" Cooper adopted a lighter tone.

" I know, he knows too most importantly, honestly Cooper, it means a lot to me, he's ignored by everyone else in our family…. seriously promise you won't say anything…I am going to Cincinnati for work on Tuesday and need to stay a few days so I am sneaking in a visit to his dad to ask for his permission…" Blaine had it all sorted really, but he was almost bursting to share his plans with Cooper.

" Really ? You really are the old fashioned gent then…."

" You haven't met Kurt's dad, when I first started dating Kurt I honestly thought he had a shot gun polished, loaded and waiting for me, just in case I got Kurt home late… but now he treats me like his own son, he's great really quite laid back, Kurt's the most precious thing to him and I just don't want to exclude him from this…I think Kurt would be disappointed if I didn't ask his dad, I just want things to be done properly, because that's what Kurt will want"

Blaine explained how he had telephoned Kurt's dad and asked if he could see him privately in confidence and without Kurt knowing, he explained he would be in the area for business and while he never hid things from Kurt he asked he could be excused from telling Kurt for a short while. Burt was no fool and said that it was fine and that Blaine should stay with them for the night have dinner and not travel back to Cincinnati until the next day. Burt had also told Blaine that he "shouldn't make any extravagant purchases just yet" because he had something that Kurt's mother wanted Kurt to have at the right time. So Blaine had suspected that Burt knew the purpose of Blaine's visit and agreed that they would keep it all a secret just for now at least. It was clear that neither of them wanted to keep anything from Kurt and Blaine honestly felt a little guilty when he explained that he would be away to Kurt and looked at the disappointment on Kurt's face that he would be out of town for a few days. Blaine was grinning broadly as he told Cooper the story.

"You really have grown up haven't you …" Cooper just commented fondly more than anything.

"Well, your secret's safe with me, but its conditional on you telling me as soon as he accepts, which he will Blaine…." Cooper's thoughts drifted to the reaction from their own parents but he didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Oh, what's this about lunch tomorrow, Mom and dad said that they can't make it to lunch tomorrow with you and Kurt? I pretended that I knew what they were going on about…"

"Ah, we're taking you for lunch…. I didn't think they'd come, well, they're not going to be somersaulting when I finally tell them about Kurt and me getting married…if he says yes " Blaine added still with the note of cautiousness to indicate that he wasn't taking anything for granted.

"My little brother really has grown up, taking me out to lunch and getting married…." There was nothing but warmth and kindness in Cooper's voice.

Blaine just smiled….." may be…..Kurt is just everything…" he said his voice trailing off, Cooper rolled his eyes again, and they both paused to instinctively look around the room for Kurt.

" He's talking to Nancy's date" Said Cooper.." just my luck my ex turns up with a completely hot guy for my party… although I wish him luck with her…"

" Nancy?" said Blaine quizzically.

" Yep, Nancy …I went out with her for a few months a few months ago…I said she could bring someone, actually I meant her screechy friend, but no she turns up with that guy with the wavy blonde hair and massive blue eyes…"

Blaine couldn't quite find Kurt in the room..

" You're not jealous are you?"

" Lord no, Nancy was talking about marriage after a handful of dates so I thought we were probably not on the same page….but she's nice, just a bit err…clingy, does Kurt know that guy or something as they seem to be quite chatty.."

" Don't think so .." said Blaine finally catching sight of Kurt in the room, he was laughing easily with the guy that Cooper was describing, although Blaine could only catch sight of the blond from the rear, he continued to look a little closer as the two did seem to be quite at ease with each other. They then moved to the dance area and began dancing, Kurt was dancing in a slightly over the top comical way making wild gestures to the music. Blaine finally caught sight of who he was dancing with.

" Ah, no need to be jealous, which of course you are not….that's James" he said with more than an element of surprise. " James is one of Kurt's pupils, he's actually really nice, he has an obvious crush on Kurt, which he tries miserably to hide….Kurt is as usual completely oblivious" he laughed softly.

" Oh so he's on your team" said Cooper slightly relieved. " Well aren't you going to defend your man then? " he said looking at Blaine.

" Nah, I'll let James have his moment with Kurt…" He was looking at James more intently. Kurt was slightly looking and searching around the room, until he caught Blaine's gaze and gestured for him to come over and join them dancing. Blaine just smiled and shook his head. He felt quietly contented that there was James dancing with Kurt and that would probably be the highlight of the evening for James but that he would be taking Kurt home at the end of the evening…

" Go on, dance with Kurt you haven't danced with him all evening…"

" He hasn't danced all evening… " Added Blaine, putting his beer down and casually walking forward to the dance floor. The dance area was darker than the rest of the room and there were a good number of couples and small groups dancing away while a DJ nodded along behind various sound decks lined up against more exposed brick work. " Hi James " said Blaine cheerily as he joined him and Kurt it was a friendly gesture and Kurt moved to include Blaine but not to in any way block James out so that the three of them could dance together. There was no point in talking as the music was loud enough to drown out any attempt at speech. Kurt looked back to where Blaine had come from to see Cooper leaning against the wall now on his own. He then strode purposefully away from the dance area leaving James and Blaine alone to dance, James and Blaine awkwardly smiled at each other and continued dancing, occupying the same space but at the same time dancing alone.

" Cooper…will you dance with me please" asked Kurt, with a playful begging tone in your voice as he reached Cooper.

" You are kidding me, I could start a fight out there, you already have two guys dancing with you" fighting for your attention.

" But I want you, I want to dance with you Cooper " Kurt asked pleadingly " and it's your birthday and I know that secretly you really want to dance.."

" Will it make my brother jealous do you think"

"Hmm, probably not, he's not the jealous type..….please dance with me"

" Ok, ok…does Blaine actually know a way of saying no to you, or does everyone always give in to you ?"

" Nope he never says no to me in the end…" said Kurt matter of flatly leading Cooper back to the dance floor, there was a palpable sigh of relief from Blaine and James when Cooper and Kurt returned. Rather than bringing Cooper to join in the dancing just as a group, Kurt started twirling and linking hands with Cooper, the pair were both smiling and laughing. Blaine looked across at them smiling as well, this is how he wanted things to be, his brother and his soon to be fiancé and then husband so comfortable with each other that neither cared what anyone else in the room thought or might think. James and Blaine looked at each other awkwardly the passing thought in both their minds being whether they should mirror Cooper and James' behaviour but they both at once dismissed the thought. After a short while Blaine decided that he wanted to flirt a bit and dance with his own boyfriend who was doing an irresistible shimmy. He shifted across the dance floor cutting out Cooper and moving close up to Kurt, Cooper put his hands up in mock surrender only for Nancy who he had done his best to avoid, sidle up to him and begin dancing. James had moved away to the side now, watching the scenes unfold in front of him, drinking another beer. Blaine had started twisting and twirling a Kurt and eventually was pressed against him, he began tugging him gently away from the dance floor as Kurt giggled.

It was difficult finding discreet places in an apartment which defined the very meaning of open plan, but he Blaine dragged a giggling and only mildly protesting Kurt to a corner which housed his brother's book collection. He began kissing Kurt hungrily and sloppily " let's go home….Kurt, I want to take you back home…." He sighed as he continued kissing Kurt, feeling his hands along Kurt's sides, Kurt was kissing him back tasting the slight smell or sour beer on his breath but ignoring it all the same, " We can't, we shouldn't… it's not fair to leave your brother at the end of a party alone…" Blaine continued to kiss him, now pressing Kurt harder against the books…" He won't care…" Kurt grabbed Blaine's moving hands and held them tightly drawing them to his face…" No sweetheart, he won't say he cares but it's just not nice….seriously we should stay until the other guests leave, I don't won't to leave him on his own…" Kurt moved a little to the side, stopping the kissing and looked at the honey coloured eyes in front of him, holding Blaine's hands and kissing Blaine's knuckles gently. " Hey sweet heart, come on we won't have to wait long…most people will head out soon, it's nearly 1.30 am anyway…" Blaine nodded, reluctantly…" you're so gorgeous you know…" Kurt just smiled at him warmly, dropping his hands and kissing Blaine softly again, enveloping his arms around his boyfriend…" I didn't say we had to stop this …" he whispered to Blaine..." hmm, I suppose not " Blaine continued to kiss them him back until he heard a shuffle of bodies come near them. It was Nancy and James.

" Boys" said Nancy who was almost screeching, Kurt and Blaine separated on hearing the shrill sound, still holding hands.

" We're off now. Thank you for the party, Cooper said it was all your work…" Nancy was clearly drunk now. " You're very welcome" Kurt replied.

" It's been an amazing party, Kurt…nice seeing you again Blaine" added James.

" You too" nodded Blaine politely

" See you later this week Kurt.." James smiled and tugged Nancy out with him who stumbled a little as she tripped along.

Once they were had left the room, Blaine turned to Kurt "James so has a crush on you" he said teasingly to Kurt, kissing him at the same time, he only left because you were occupied with me. Kurt didn't respond rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "You're adorable" said Blaine sloppily kissing Kurt again this time on the cheek and feeling Kurt smile.

**Hope you enjoyed this...please review !**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**This is part 1 and is Blaine's story.**

Blaine had done a number of google searches on " how to ask a father's permission for marriage" and felt his research meant that he was pretty covered for the moment. Even so, while well researched and prepared he still felt the necessity to have an envelope with a sketch of the speech that he had rehearsed in his office and was about to deliver. According to the internet advice he had structured it as follows – 1. Explain feelings and say flattering things about prospective spouse 2. Say why you are ready to make this decision now – easy, legislation changed 3. Say something about protecting always and finally, 4. Ask for permission and blessing. Four little steps were creating a mountain of anxiety and Blaine. The internet had also warned him that some prospective brides ( all the advice was for brides) might think this condescending and outdated, and some fathers might think the same. He was pretty sure Kurt would like the gesture, Kurt always warmed to the gallant side of Blaine, and Blaine knew he would squeal with delight when he eventually got to find out.

So here he was in Kurt's family home. Carole was excited to see him and after fussing with his jacket which Blaine had asked to keep on ( he thought it looked smarter and he had rather co-ordinated the outfit with his bow tie) she was now holding his arms standing a little way from him just looking at him, this made him feel more nervous. " Would you like a glass of wine...I have something special for dinner, we could open it now ?" she was almost giggling as she has asked and then paused staring at him again. " Oh sit down Blaine, sorry ... yes Wine? " Blaine was mildly disappointed that Brandy wasn't on offer, but he did not think that he could actually ask for that, he wasn't in a bar after all. He declined the wine, as much as he needed a glass of something he was slightly worried it would fluff his lines and also he felt that if it was a special bottle he'd enjoy it more after the increasingly agonising talk with Burt was over and done with.

Carole was dressed up too, she had a berry coloured shift dress and make up on, she wasn't a scruffy dresser by any means but the Hummel house hold was always one where people felt at ease dress wise. This was all making Blaine more nervous. He hadn't a clue where Burt was and Carole seemed to be on edge a little and had obviously completely forgotten to mention Burt's whereabouts. As if reading his mind she added as she placed herself close beside Blaine on the sofa" Oh Burt is getting dressed for dinner, he'll be down soon.." _Dressed for dinner..._ They sat in what was best described as a very uncomfortable silence, Carole was fidgeting and smiling, occasionally grabbing Blaine's arm as if to say something and then sweetly releasing it after a little squeeze.

Burt finally came down stairs, he was looking a little grumpy, and was fiddling with the collar of his jacket, he was wearing light sports jacket and grey trousers, a light blue shirt and tie. Carole had clearly told him he had to smarten up, and now he was in a little bit of a strop. Blaine looked up at him from the sofa and thought he looked nervous. He stepped forward and held out his hand in what seemed a comically formal moment. " Thank you for agreeing to see me, Sir"

"Oh, Blaine its always lovely to see you " added Carole standing up. Blaine was pretty sure that Burt locked eyes with him at that moment. He didn't actually speak but took Blaine's hand and shook it anyway. Caroel took a few steps backward and then said, " So I will do some things in the kitchen...let me know when I can come back in won't you. " Without being able to help herself she quickly moved forward and gave Blaine a quick kiss on the cheek, before darting out of the room closing the door deliberately behind her.

Burt sat down in an arm chair and gestured for Blaine to do like wise. _He's really looking quite scary._

Burt, leaned forward looking at Blaine.

" So, I suppose that you've come here to talk about my son then ?"

" Yes, sir " responded Blaine, realising immediately that he had completely lost control of the conversation. _Damn, should have spoken first and got it over and done with._

" And I remember the last time that you came to see me on my own to speak about my son"

Blaine was doing his best to look puzzled now. But he knew that Burt was referring to, but all the while hoping that he was wrong...unfortunately as Burt continued speaking he realised that he was not wrong at all, Blaine knew the incident exactly. If only it were possible to have brought Kurt with him, he wouldn't have allowed Burt to torture Blaine in the way that he was so obviously doing now.

" Was that when we were at Dalton together ?" it was worth a short Blaine thought.

" Yes, and you felt that Kurt needed some advice from me...didn't you ?" Blaine decided that looking up was not the best thing to do right now and so started staring at his shoes.

" I think I over stepped the mark there, sir..."

" And you did...but I think you cared about my son" Blaine looked up at little relieved at hearing this..his relief was missed placed.

" And then you started dating a week or so later...so I was never that sure what your intention was behind that chat after all" Blaine gulped and returned to staring at his shoes. It had been a little awkward, there had had been in his school uniform appearing at Burt's garage and suggesting that Kurt needed a talk about sex and then he and Kurt had started dating a few weeks later. He had to admit that it didn't look like his concern for Kurt was exactly motiveless.

" I agree the timing wasn't the best on that chat, but I really meant what I said at the time, I just wanted Kurt to be safe and then..."

" So what have you come here for this time then ?" Burt asked interrupting Blaine. For a moment Blaine wasn't entirely sure if he saw a small smile passing on Burt's lips.

Blaine sat up taking a breath and pressing the palms of his now clammy hands on to his trousers. He took a slight gulp of air :

" I really really love Kurt, more than I thought it would be possible to love anyone and I just want us to be married and he's everything to me and I wanted to know if you'd be ok with that too, and please, please say yes, will you….sir.." Ok, that was not most eloquent speech that Blaine had intended, it came out as a complete rushing of air and stuttering.

Burt, seemed to have heard most of it and was looking back smiling.

" Well, I thought you were never going to ask me….Of course you can"

" So I have your blessing, Sir"

" you have my blessing and please will you stop calling me Sir, what's got into you ?" he was laughing a little now.

" nerves…that's what has got into me"

" So, Blaine the only thing I do want to say to you" Burt was looking a bit serious now…" is that Kurt had a childhood I wouldn't have wanted him to have, when his mother died I retreated, Kurt knows all this so I am not telling you something that we have not spoken about…but to be honest I became quite depressed and that's not good when you have a little child around you who is heartbroken too, so we spent so much of our time looking after each other in the best way we could. So I am probably a little overly protective of Kurt, I want to protect him from any more pain that the world can throw his way. I know you care and love him, and I know he loves you more than anything but what I have to ask of you is that you will always do what you can to protect him and love him, because I don't want to see him go through any more heart break he's had his share…." Burt paused for a moment. " So you see we have both being thinking about speeches…"

" Yes Sir…. I will "

" Blaine, seriously, drop the Sir bit, honestly where did that come from"

He was getting up now and moving to a side cupboard, which he opened and took a small jeweller's box from.

" You don't have to give him this, I mean I can give him this, it doesn't have to come from you, I don't want to take your moment away; this is his mother's wedding band and she wanted Kurt to have it, I mean I can just give it to him to keep and you can buy him a ring from you if you would like that, he'll probably like something a bit fancier, you know Kurt, at least a few diamonds…" he handed the box to Blaine.

Before even opening it, he said, " He'll want to wear his mother's ring, I would like him to have it, but I would like to him to have something from me to wear too, so I thought I would get him a watch…" Blaine then carefully opened the box, staring at the plain gold band inside. " He'll want this, it's perfect"

Their dinner was a much more relaxed affair, with Carole asking when Blaine would ask Kurt and when they thought they would have the wedding. Blaine didn't want to talk too much about this, he was anxious not to start even mentally planning the wedding which he knew would be Kurt's project but he didn't see the point in waiting. The phone rang during dinner and they all sat a little startled hoping for once that it wasn't Kurt, it was actually Finn, Carole managed to get him off the phone quite quickly without mentioning anything. A little part of Blaine felt guilty that he was plotting all this without Kurt knowing, he usually called Kurt each day when he was away and would send him a few text messages about nothing in particular just trying to make contact. But if he did that today it would be too many lies, so he had told Kurt the day before that he would be in meetings pretty much constantly and he doubted that he would be able to call him, Kurt sounded disappointed but said it was fine, Blaine had just sent a couple of texts saying that he missed him and was looking forward to getting home soon which really was the truth after all.

When he went to sleep that night in Kurt's room it felt really strange and Blaine missed him more, they had always shared anything exciting or funny or to be honest just anything and Blaine's burning desire was to call Kurt and let him know what had just happened but he knew that he could not just yet. He snuggled into Kurt's pillow which despite having been freshly laundered still smelt of him, he was still too excited about the day to get much sleep, he thought about the small box in his case and felt even more excited, he began thinking about the prefect moment to ask Kurt and the prefect setting and while his mind was beginning to plan the possibilities he finally fell asleep.

Please review…next chapter, we find what Kurt was doing while Blaine was away.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter `12 – Kurt's story

" I can't believe you know Cooper" said Kurt happily as he looked out from the balcony of the bar across the New York skyline.

Kurt and James had become regulars at the bar, as promised James had held his part of the deal to help Kurt with interview practice. Kurt had carried on teaching James for which James paid him for " It's your job Kurt…" James had said. The trade off that Kurt would buy drinks or something to eat for James after he coached Kurt never really happened, James pretty much always settling the bill usually when Kurt hadn't expected, going to the bathroom was particularly difficult as James always used this as an opportunity to pay. Kurt liked James, he honestly hadn't had another gay friend and James was light company but thoughtful too. Blaine hadn't particularly minded the time he spent with James although he teased him a little about it quite gently and Kurt was careful not to see James when he knew that Blaine would be home, that was time that they could spend together.

James continued with the conversation " well technically I don't...know Cooper in person, but I heard all about him. That night I just there for the moral support of one of the girls he cast's asunder, Nancy is a really good friend and she sort of wanted to go, but didn't want to go on her own, it sort of makes sense really, and obviously I'm safe, no complications" replied James leaning next to Kurt and also looking straight ahead.

" I can see that..but " cast asunder" that's all a bit dramatic, I am sure Cooper let her down very gently."

" I couldn't possibly comment, Nancy is lovely, I've known her since we were students together but honestly? She can be a little intense with guys, I've given her lessons on avoiding the commitment speech in the first 4 dates, but it doesn't always work. Anyway coming from you, "dramatic", you are seriously telling me _I'm dramatic_"James had turned now and was just laughing.

" Hey, not fair... I can be quite grounded sometimes"

" So fair, that was an extraordinary party you organised, I really meant dramatic as a compliment, dramatic as in flair, style, utterly, wonderful"

"Oh"

" But, you're not so good at taking compliments are you?"

" meaning ?"

" now you are just fishing..."

" I am so not..." Kurt replied his voice raising to the tone of a question at the end.

" Well, I've called you in the time that you have been teaching me the following" James cleared his throat and began " talented, elegant, graceful, stylish, beauti..."

" enough enough..." said Kurt feeling slightly embarrassed. " I guess I never heard them to be honest...sorry"

" there you go proves my point, you don't even listen, you actually tune out when I give you a compliment, may be I should have said them in French then you'd have listened"

" May be you should have" said Kurt without really thinking and then quickly adding " well, thank you anyway, not that you are right of course..."

" So cute, bashful too..."

" Ok, ok, you're making me feel embarrassed.. let's change the subject.."

James laughed, Kurt was sounding a little more than frazzled by the attention, which had the effect of making James want to give him even more.

"Well, I think this evening we should celebrate that magnificent party that was all down to you.. " Said James raising his glass and at the same time gesturing the waiter to come over, and whispering in his ear as he did so. The waiter nodded and disappeared quickly.

" We can't celebrate that, and anyway, it wasn't all down to me...you always find something to celebrate"

"Well, I think we can celebrate it, and besides Christmas, birthdays and thanksgiving are not enough, we need more things to celebrate...life would be really boring if we didn't find anything to celebrate..that's my creed"

" Do you really believe that, I mean the bit about finding anything to celebrate, won't we all just end up alcoholics and in debt " responded Kurt not altogether un seriously.

" Yes, I do."

" Well" said Kurt drawing in a gulp of air. " I have some other news…. I got my job" He tried to stop himself squeeling and just looked at James smiling.

" Ahahh" James leaned forward and scooped Kurt into a hug, pressing him tightly. " I knew you would, your so clever " he said, slightly pulling back to look at Kurt.

"Ok, I don't care what you say, but that we are going to celebrate…" James looked a round and called the waiter over again, who he then turned towards, keeping a hand on Kurt's arm but making sure Kurt would not hear. Kurt was giggling.

" I don't even know if I will take it"

" Doesn't matter…you got it Kurt and that's brilliant, you're brilliant"

They began chatting excitedly and animatedly, James continued to hold on to his arm, gently squeezing it. The waiter returned to them a few moments later and whispered to James.

" Right, come one young man…" said James finding Kurt's hand and linking their fingers together to lead Kurt forward. James led Kurt to a small table with a single bucket of champagne and two glasses. Kurt looked at their hands but felt it would be churlish to pull away.

"Oh Lord, we can't get through that, have you invited anyone else" asked Kurt both a little excited and panicked...

" No, I haven't have you ?"

" No.." said Kurt wondering if this was a good idea. He also fancied something to eat but didn't dare say in case James took this as a request that he should buy dinner as well.

James gently led Kurt by the elbow to sit down and then handed Kurt one of the two now poured glasses of champagne.

"So, if this is what you do just to celebrate my new job then you must be verging on hysterical for Christmas..."

" Er, you're not that great at giving compliments either" remarked James. " Here's to an amazingly successful career...and" Kurt was about to start drinking but paused for a moment to let James finish speaking. " and to celebrate your wonderful party"

" We have to celebrate something about you…it's not fair otherwise"

"No tonight we are just celebrating you …and us " he looked Kurt straight into the eyes and clinked their glasses together.

" To us…one of my brightest pupils"

James laughed, " Really Kurt you are off duty now…"

They clinked their glasses and both took a gulp of champagne. They talked a lot more, and Kurt explained how he really wasn't so sure that he would take the job after all, he was a little scared of moving into an environment which he knew little of, but he was still excited.

" So what does Blaine think then ?"

" Blaine ? He's away I'm going to tell him when he gets back"

" Oh" replied James.

" I just didn't want to tell him over the phone, he's in meetings all the time and I just didn't want to distract him.." for some reason, Kurt felt the need to explain himself, but really it was that he realised saying it out loud that it must have sounded strange that he had not shared the news with Blaine. " I'll tell him the moment he gets back from Cincinatti added Kurt. They talked some more and moved off the topic of Kurt's new job to some of the theatre shows that were on in town, that Kurt always wanted to see but hardly ever got around to going to with Blaine. They had pretty much finished the champagne and Kurt was really quite drunk by now. He had become, Kurt the giggly happy drunk.

" Let's eat" said James, gesturing to the waiter again.

"Ok my treat " said Kurt

" Certainly not…" replied James. " This is your treat, your night and we are so celebrating especially if you don't have to rush home tonight…"

Kurt pondered thinking of the best way to protest. " I have got an idea, if you insist on it being your treat, than I think I should get to choose what I like, shouldn't I?" he looked at James in a cute quizzical way.

" How can I refuse" said James looking at him without even a blink.

"Right then" said Kurt standing up firmly but actually wobbling a little as he got up.

Twenty minutes later and they were sitting in a diner, hot dogs in hand. Kurt was so tipsy that he hadn't actually put his mustard on in the normal artful zigzag way he always had.

" This is fun, you're a good picker" said James cheerfully.

" Oh, it's just a fun place….I'm not so good with picking restaurants I spend most of my time cooking"

" I am not going to have to repeat that compliments conversation again" said James warningly but playfully.

"No, you're not…"

" you must get lots from Blaine…"

" I do" said Kurt his mind flitting back to Blaine, telling him he was beautiful just as he kissed him before leaving.

James felt annoyed with himself for bringing Blaine back into the conversation, the trouble with mentioning Blaine to Kurt was that Kurt's mind obviously drifted back to Blaine.

They talked a bit more and Kurt began telling James how he used to sing at school and how he loved musical theatre.

" Sing something for me…"

" Oh… that's why I don't tell people " Kurt moaned mockingly

" Anything, what's you're favourite..?"

" Wicked…er Funny Girl…Westside Story, Rent.. "

" you are so sweet, you need to see how your eyes just light up when you said all that"

" we're in a restaurant I am not going to sing.."

" damn, I should have bought two bottles of champagne, and we're in a diner by the way, come on get your things we are off.." James said.

" Are we going ?" asked Kurt a little disappointed.

" We are indeed going….." said James lifting Kurt by the hand from the table and handing the waitress a twenty dollar bill before Kurt could even realise what happened.

" Ok, ok…."

"We're going dancing Kurt…you don't have to rush home and we're still celebrating"

" I can't…"

" You can, and why can't you…"

" Blaine might call…"

"Kurt its past midnight …he's really not going to call you now. And I don't think he was too bothered by us dancing at his brother's party."

" Oh" said Kurt suddenly realising that he hadn't actually spoken to Blaine that day, but did get a few sloppily sweet text messages. He also realised that James had a point, yes Blaine had teased him a little but honestly he hadn't appeared to mind.

Kurt hadn't exactly lived the wildest life in New York , he'd seemed to have spent so much time studying and then when Blaine was studying and then at law school he felt that he couldn't exactly be partying while Blaine was working so hard. So in short he barely had been to a club in New York at all.

"Where are we going then ?" he said decidedly.

* * *

><p>Kurt liked the club, yes it was loud and a little dark but it was also stylish. The only clubs he'd been to in Ohio smelt of beer and were all black…but this was different. The bar was brightly lit with a blue glow and the drinks sat on illuminated shelves. The waiters wore all white and there were corners with small tables and little lights with red shades. James had probably picked the most elegant gay bar in the whole City.<p>

" I like it" said Kurt looking around approvingly.

" I though you would…"

" It's not what I expected…"

" It's a private members bar, they tend to be a little more chi chi, it's much nicer than the others, I wouldn't take you anywhere which I didn't think was suitably stylish for you"

" Chi chi…you're funny"

As if by magic a waiter brought them over a menu and after having much fun reading through the inventive list of cocktail names, Kurt and James ordered two fruit flavoured martnis. As if Kurt wasn't intoxicated enough by the atmosphere in the club he was beginning to get drunk again by the cocktails.

James seemed to know quite a lot of people there, and he happily introduced Kurt to friends who came over to him to say hello. He could see them looking at Kurt a little curiously and felt a little flush of pride that he was with this gorgeous elegant man.

" I thought we had come here to dance" Kurt asked a little coyly…

" I was waiting for you to ask me" James smiled gently.

" Will you dance with me" Kurt said standing up and putting out a hand for James. Drink made Kurt lighter, bolder and a tad flirtier…

" Of course" said James getting up and walking with Kurt to the dance floor.

* * *

><p>When Kurt woke the next morning far later than he usually would, his head felt heavy and it hurt. His throat was so dry it felt like his breath was scraping against it to even breathe. He forced himself to sit up, his skin felt slightly sweaty and clammy. He was wearing the shirt that he had worn the night before and his boxers. He ran his hands through his hair which felt tangled and greasy. He reached to find his cell phone on the night stand and checked his messages. He clicked open to read a message from Blaine.<p>

" Can't wait to see you later, sweetheart..I miss you x"

There were two messages from James.

" Please call me…"

" I am sorry…"

Kurt suddenly in a bolt thought about the night before, he felt so sick and hot all at once. Hot tears began to fall down his cheeks and he sat upright in his bed just looking at the messages on his phone and shivering.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13...

Blaine had decided that he was not going to ask Kurt to marry him, the moment he stepped in the door. Oh no this was something that he wanted to plan, he thought that nothing was ever perfect but honestly Kurt was the nearest that anything would ever get to perfect and Kurt was also the most romantic person Blaine had ever encountered. It wasn't in a red roses and chocolates sort of way it was the way that Kurt embraced life, and the way that he expressed life. Blaine had been someone who loved pop, Kurt would mock him for being so " top 40" but Kurt loved musical theatre because it told a story it was song used to express a story not just random thoughts but a story, which was usually one of love and longing.

Blaine had learned in the years that he had spent with Kurt to know that things were not accidental, if there were yellow roses in the apartment it wasn't because those were on special offer in the store or the nearest to hand, but because they meant something, " they are just so vibrant and we have been working so hard this week, I thought we needed vibrant….". Kurt was someone who planned things and thought about purpose, his life was not random or haphazard. Blaine often thought he was the most hard working person he knew, not because he spent hours in the office like he did, but because his mind was constantly engaged. Blaine would flick through the pages of a newspaper on his phone, Kurt would find and interesting article about a person who had achieved something and write to them to ask if they would speak to the children at his school. Blaine constantly thought when him and Kurt had children ( and in his mind it was a certainty) they would be blessed to have Kurt as a father and their teacher. So, Blaine decided that he would give some thought and ask Kurt to marry him in the most perfect way he could, he wanted this beautiful being to say yes to being his and he wanted that moment to be perfect.

He had sent Kurt a text from the airport to say that he would be home around 4.00pm, there was no way that having spent so many days ( well two nights, three days) that he was going back to the office, no he was going to go home, shake of the dull heady feeling that he always had when he went on a flight with a walk , go out to dinner with Kurt, head back early and make love. The thought shook him as bliss, this was life at its best, it's most saturated and as Blaine stepped on the flight home he had the most unsurpassable energy and optimism that he had felt in so long.

* * *

><p>Kurt had drunk most of a carton of orange juice in the hope that drinking 3 day's supply of vitamins and eating half a loaf of bread toasted would make him feel less sick but he really knew that the sick, knotted feeling in his stomach had little to do with alcohol. He thought about the night before and felt both nauseous and angry an anger that was entirely directed at himself. He began wretch, feel hot and sweaty, He had looked at the text from Blaine, it calmed him and he thought that he just wanted Blaine to be there now to immerse himself in Blaine and not to have to do anything more than be held and loved and that the whole car crash of the evening that had passed the night before would disappear. Kurt knew that he would have to tell Blaine; that wasn't an option, the truth would out and even if it didn't he knew that he would tell Blaine because that's what they were about, they were about telling each other everything and that's why after all the years they were still together and loving each other. But this was different, a kiss to most people would be a bad fight but not matter how Kurt tried to play over the night in his head he could not forgive himself, for being stupid, for being gullible for not stopping when his instinct said <em>this is not going to end well <em>for allowing James to kiss him in darkness of the club and for a moment kissing him back. If Blaine forgave him after what inevitably be something of a row, would he be able to forgive himself for taking their most precious love and chancing the risk that it might be broken.

When Blaine dragged him by the hand out of the apartment after dumping his bags in the hall way, Kurt's fears were tucked away, they had kissed firmly and told each other how they had missed each other. And both had meant if fervently.

Blaine had wanted to go to the park. Like anyone who works long hours in an office knows, any free time not spent in the office is a chance to live, to breath in the air and in summer to feel the warmth of the air around you. Blaine was so deeply happy when he looked Kurt and now lying with him in a discreet part of Central Park with his arm draped across Kurt's stomach, he was doing his best not to just lean over and kiss him, hold him, tell him how much he loved him and ask him to marry him.

" I missed you…" said Blaine again, he had said that almost every few minutes since he had seen Kurt again. He looked at Kurt who was staring straight ahead, a little lost in his own world…

" Hey you, you're quiet…do you fancy going out for dinner this evening ?"

"Oh, sorry, I am just a little tired, sure..Let's get dinner"

" We don't have to, we could have a cocktail and just head home, if you wanted to?" Blaine asked gently questioning.

"Blaine, I have to tell you something" said Kurt finally getting the resolve to speak. Blaine looked up propping himself on his elbows.

" I got a job offer " continued Kurt, his courage buckling from beneath him, he just couldn't tell Blaine about the kiss not there in the park with the sun and the smell of grass and Blaine just looking so happy. In the flicker of a moment he went for a lesser confession.

Blaine didn't say anything, his mind hurrying back to the CV that he had seen on Kurt's computer a few weeks earlier. He'd forgotten it really, he dismissed it as Kurt just updating his CV and not thinking further to wonder why.

He looked at Kurt, almost urging him to continue.

" I applied for a company job, just to see if I would get it, and I did"

Blaine still looked ahead silently, the happiness that he had felt, when he arrived at the airport with the ring hidden in his hand luggage, the happiness he felt when he had walked into their apartment and scooped Kurt up to kiss him, faded. _Kurt hadn't told him he wanted another job._

Kurt knew what Blaine was thinking and his tone warmed, softened almost to an apology.

" Sweetheart, I am sorry, I just didn't tell you because I thought I wouldn't get it and I almost wanted to see if I would, and then I could tell you…"

Blaine didn't speak. He didn't know what to say, and he was aware that in atemper he could say things that were stupid and hurtful and if he was being honest he knew or at the very least felt that this was something to do with the stupid, senseless and hurtful remark that he made to Kurt some weeks before, when he had coldly told put Kurt down over his job and the amount of holidays he had. He had apologised but what he had said was so stinging that he couldn't even bring himself to remember it without a feeling of hot embarrassment. How that must have hurt Kurt.

" No don't apologise, it's because of what I said, isn't it ?...shit"

Kurt was quite taken a back, part of him wanted Blaine to be annoyed and angry with him. He had kept something from Blaine and yes if he was honest it was partly because of what Blaine had said that did not but that did not make it right.

" Hey, I got a great new job, and yes a little of what you said made me try for it, but that's not bad Blaine, I wanted to try for this…"

Blaine relaxed a little. " I wished you would have told me, I hate it when you don't tell me things…"

"I know, I don't know why but I suppose I thought if I am going to fail then I don't want you to worry about me failing or comforting me, because I know you would…"

" I would.."

Kurt leaned over pulling Blaine's hand away from the grass, lifting it up and kissing his knuckles. "I know…" he said holding Blaine's hand warmly. " So tell me then…" said Blaine his spirits beginning to lift, taking his hand and that of Kurt's and playing with it a little before taking it to his cheek. Kurt explained about the job, the chance that he would travel to Europe… Blaine was studying him carefully.

" So, do you really want this Kurt?"

" I don't know"

" What don't you know…?"

Silence. Blaine wasn't congratulating Kurt in the way James had had. Oh God James, Kurt needed to banish any thought of James.

" Ok, babe, you know that if you want to take this job, I am 100% behind you, I will even shop for new suits with you, but…do you want it?"

" I think so…"

" So tell me why…"

" Because…" Kurt didn't really know how to say the next bit, without making it sound like a bit of an attack on Blaine, when it wasn't. He wanted to be able to be seen as Blaine's equal as not the poor teacher who had done good by trapping a lawyer earning twice his salary and a sexy one to that. He wanted to feel that what Blaine must feel like when people heard what he did and then put him down as being clever and hard working. He slowly tried to explain this to Blaine. When he had finished, Blaine looked a head.

"Sweet heart, this isn't a competition between us, it doesn't matter what people might think, and damn it's none of anyone's business…" Blaine felt horrible. If Kurt felt this way it was because of him, he was certain. "When I see you coming up with all sorts of ways to entertain your students and ways to tap into their minds, I just wish I had someone like you when I was at Dalton…"

He got up leaving a hand for Kurt to hold on to and pull him up. " Let's go home… I want to go home" The park suddenly felt noisy and Blaine wanted to be intimate with Kurt, curled up on their sofa, just holding him against him.

Kurt took the hand that was offered and they walked home stopping off to get a Thai on the way and a tub of ice cream.

When they reached the apartment and the door was closed, when they had taken off their shoes and Kurt had washed his hands as he always did when they had been out. Blaine looked at him.

" Don't Kurt, don't leave something you love doing, something that you are so wonderful at…"

Kurt looked at him knowing there was more.

" It's because of that dumb comment I made and I am so sorry...if you really want this job, than do it, but I don't think it is, not from what you have said, we will always be fine, we have enough money, and honestly, I don't want to see you working late and travelling to all these places that sound exciting but all you see are airports and hotel rooms…" he was holding Kurt's hand again, playing with it gently.

Kurt looked at him. " Let me think it over?"

Blaine nodded, pulling Kurt into him, cradling his head and stroking Kurt's hair warmly and possessively. He looked down, moving Kurt's head up and kissing him with an open mouth. " God I missed you" he said, between the kisses.

Please please review...xx


	14. Chapter 14

For a few moments Kurt could forget that night with James and just remain cuddled against Blaine's chest, feeling the rise and fall in his sleeping. But it was gnawing away at him, he considered not telling Blaine but would it, could it come out later? Somehow it would Kurt decided. Kurt thought of telling him after he had told him about the job, but the hurt look in Blaine's eyes when he heard that Kurt had kept something important from him was too much. Kurt lay there silently feeling ashamed and guilty for having the love of the man sleeping next to him, who trusted him so much and without question. His thoughts moved to how he would tell, Blaine. It wasn't something that he could just drop into conversation the later that morning as he poured Blaine a glass of orange juice. And Blaine wanted to go to the Hamptons the following weekend and have lunch and spend some time together lapping up the sun on a beach, there was Blaine spending his time trying to think of sweet things that they could do together and there was Kurt thinking of the best way to mention that he had kissed someone in a night club after drinking too much – it really wasn't excusable. In the pit of this stomach he wondered if Blaine would leave him, because there was something that Kurt knew about Blaine for certain and that was that he would never have let himself get to that same place as Kurt.

When Kurt woke that morning it was late, he finally got to sleep in the early hours of the morning and it was past 11 am when he woke. He could feel the bed was cold and thought that Blaine must have got up a while ago. He heard some sounds from the rest of the apartment and the noise of a TV on in the back ground. Slowly he got up, sitting on the edge of the bed and deciding to take a shower before doing anything else.

When Kurt entered the living room half an hour later washed and dressed he found Blaine finishing a call to his mother. " Hey sleepy head….you must have been tired " Blaine handed Kurt a coffee which was already out on table. " And you're phone has been ringing incessantly" he said pointing to the offending article on the coffee table.

" Oh, who was it " said Kurt only half thinking.

" I don't know, I didn't look" Kurt picked up the phone to see 4 missed calls from James. He put it down again without saying anything and blew across the top of his coffee. Blaine had turned and was popping two slices of toast into the toaster.

The phone rang again. " Please just answer that thing" said Blaine with his back was still to Kurt.

" Hi" Kurt breathed quietly into the phone.

" Kurt, I think we should talk, I'm sorry but I don't want us to avoid each other" James began.

" I don't think you need any more lessons from me….. " he said neutrally aware that Blaine was in the room, and had now turned to walk over to him with a plate and two buttered slices of toast. Kurt paused. " Good bye". Blaine lifted his eye brows a little. " Everything alright, you were a little short " he nudged the plate over to Kurt before sitting back into the sofa.

Kurt drew a breath. " No, it's not really alright. Blaine, I need to talk to you about something" He paused again and looked intently at Blaine who on cue lowered a slice of toast which he had taken back down.

" That was James, you were right about James and I am sorry that I didn't listen to you or believe you because you were right when you thought he liked me, liked me more than he should like me. So I told him that I can't teach him anymore, I told him while you were away.. and I told him again just now "

For a moment Blaine was about to say that he didn't have a problem with Kurt teaching someone who had a crush on him, Kurt was more than attractive and he'd probably not teach at over the age of 15 if that was the case. But he sensed that Kurt was going to continue.

" You know that I often have drink with James after a lesson, well …" he just couldn't continue.

Blaine was looking at him so intently now, hanging on every word.

" Go on…" Blaine said nodding softly.

" Well we had some drinks to celebrate me getting that job" Blaine flinched, about to say something but sensing there was more.

Kurt's eyes were filling with tears.

" I am really sorry Blaine, I am so sorry, but we went on to some club that James knows and I don't know what really happened, but he kissed me "

Blaine sat there, silently almost counting his breath. He brought his head to his hands and rubbed them to his face which was turning red and tears filled his eyes as well.

Kurt was shivering now, wondering whether to break the silence.

" Please Blaine, please " Kurt said, unashamedly begging.

" You could tell him about your job but not me? You went drinking with him, you kissed him? What do you want me to say Kurt, what should I say" His voice was gritted.

" I told him about the job because it doesn't matter what he thinks of me, I only care what you think of me Blaine and I didn't kiss him, it just happened we were dancing and I thought that was okay because we danced at Cooper's party and you were there, but then he kissed me."

" And what did you do Kurt? Where did it end Kurt?" His voice was clipped and pained. Blaine got up from the and began pacing along the room, in short awkward steps.

" You share things with him, you drink with him, you dance with him…..no wonder he made a move on you, you can't blame him. He did what he thought you wanted Kurt " His voice was turning to anger.

" No, Blaine I didn't want that, I don't share things with him, only the job, only because it didn't matter to me if he knew that I didn't get it, I didn't care what he thought, and it was a kiss Blaine and as soon as I realised what was happening, I moved and he.."

" Do you know Kurt, I don't care, I don't care that while I am working and miles away from you, thinking about you, missing you, re-reading your stupid texts and re reading your emails just to think about you more that you are out with some other guy… I don't care, because I can't let myself. " He strode out of the living room and into their bedroom. Kurt followed. He was pulling things out of drawers. " Blaine, stop, please …I am sorry, I was stupid, I know I was stupid, please stop"

Blaine ignored him and continued. " Blaine, stop, it was just a kiss, no more than that, I swear"

" Don't Kurt, just don't " He pulled his travel case that was still half packed and grabbed its contents hurling it to the laundry basket. He stuffed the items he pulled from the drawers into the case and left the room walking around Kurt. Kurt stood frozen.

" Where are you going?...please Blaine, please"

" Do you know what Kurt, I don't know right now, because I haven't actually planned this. I had thought that maybe once I had made my boyfriend some breakfast that he might like to go shopping and that I could buy him something nice for next weekend, and then may be this evening we could go to a movie and have some drinks…. I hadn't planned that my boyfriend would tell me he was cheating on me . So no Kurt, I am run out of ideas right now" His voice was stinging with sarcasm. He zipped the case closed and lugged it from the bed.

Kurt got out of his way. " Blaine, please, please…I know you're mad, you've every right to be. Please don't go"

Blaine didn't hear the last of what Kurt had said as he pulled the door closed behind him.

Blaine sat in the his car, his hand on the key in the ignition not knowing what to do. He breathed and then turned the engine on and began to drive. After 3 minutes he was on the highway heading to long Island without a plan at all in mind, just driving, just trying to keep his mind on the road and trying not to think. He could hear his phone buzzing and knew it was Kurt. He didn't bother to look. It was around mid afternoon that he pulled into the parking lot of a coffee shot. He turned the engine off and just sat in the car staring ahead. It was then the tears began to fall and he sat there pressing his head against the steering wheel of the car, screeching his breath in and out.

* * *

><p>Kurt after a few hours of crying and fist banging and silent staring at the walls around called Cooper. He was exhausted by now.<p>

" Hey Kurt" answered Cooper. " How are you? – its nice to hear from you." Cooper said cheerily.

" Hi …" pause.

" Is Blaine with you ?"

" Nope, Kurt, can't you get him on his mobile, are you alright Kurt" Cooper picked up the sad hesitancy in Kurt's voice.

" No, I'm fine, we just had a bit of a row and I thought he might have gone to your place"

Cooper didn't pry at all, he assumed it was a row about not very much, he knew his brother could be a little hot headed at times, and he knew that Kurt had penchant for drama.

" Oh, I'm sorry Kurt, if he does come over I'll ask him to call you, or I'll send you a secret text if he's in a grump, still."

" Thanks Cooper…" He almost couldn't hide the tearfulness in his voice

" Don't worry Kurt…come on now, you know he'll let off steam and be fine"

" I hope so"

" I know so" Said Cooper before saying good bye.

Blaine was sitting in the coffee shop staring at the paper cup before him. His thoughts were in muddle. _He confided in James and not me, he kissed James, he went dancing with James, what else? What else happened? Does he even love me? Is he bored of me? He can't care about me, he can't want me if he just want's attention from James…_ The thoughts played over again and again in his mind. He looked at his watch and decided to go. Things were no clearer only worse.

He looked at his phone and saw 3 texts from Kurt and 7 missed calls. He decided not to even open the texts. Instead he sent one to Cooper asking if he was going to be home for the next couple of hours. Cooper replied saying that he should come over. With that, he finished the last of his coffee and headed back to the Car.

* * *

><p>Cooper let Blaine into his apartment and straightened on seeing Blaine holding his travel bag.<p>

" Blaine ?" he said quizzically looking at the bag.

" Can I stay"

" You know you can, but Blaine do you want to tell me what this is all about? I know you had a row with Kurt, he called to check if you were here, Blaine?"

" What did he say ?"

" Nothing he just said you two had a row and wanted to check you were here. I said I would ask you to call him or send him a secret text, well not so secret."

" I can't speak to him…text him if you want."

Cooper pulled the bag from Blaine's fingers, putting it down by the entrance.

" Do you want to talk?" he said as he tapped a quick message to Kurt.

" Not really"

"Okay. Sit, and I'll make you a drink " he gestured to the stools by the kitchen counter and fiddled in his cupboards to find a bottle of whiskey, and poured a small amount into two glasses. " Ice?" Blaine nodded. Finally, Cooper pushed the glass to his brother. He sat there staring at the glass until tears began to fall.

Cooper moved to the other side of the counter and put his arm around his brother pulling him into a hug.

" Hey ?" he said gently.

Cooper rocked him a little until he could hear Blaine sniffling.

" Tell me when you are ready?"

Blaine nodded. Do you want to lie down a bit or watch a film with me?

" Lets watch a film then" Cooper said when Blaine didn't respond

" Okay".

They moved over to the sofa and Cooper struggled to find a film, handing out a selection to Blaine who pulled one out, not looking at what it was and handing it back to his brother who inserted it into the DVD. They watched another and another after that. Cooper went to turn the oven on to heat up some pizza's and went into the hall to make a quick call to cancel his evening plans.

It was nearly 10.00pm when he turned to Blaine again, do you want call Kurt and let him know you're staying here. Blaine didn't respond just looking a head through the TV screen. " Do you mind if I call him then ?" Silence.

" Kurt …I'm sorry, but I think Blaine is going to stay here this evening"

Blaine got up and left the sitting area heading to the bathroom, not wanting to hear Kurt's voice on the conversation with his brother.

" Okay….thanks for letting me know Cooper."

" Its fine, Kurt, I'll try and get him to talk. Are you okay?"

"I'm alright…I better go, thanks Cooper" Kurt ended the call.

Cooper made a cup of tea and handed it to Blaine.

"So, are you going to speak to me or are you going to pretend to want to watch another film?"

"I had a fight with Kurt, a bad one"

Cooper nodded resisting the urge to say _Really I would never have guessed._

"He did something I never ever would have thought he would do to me. He really hurt me"

" Okay" said Cooper gently.

" He cheated on me, he kissed a guy who he was teaching, you know that guy who came to your party, the one who had a thing for Kurt. They went out while I was away, away at this dad's house as it happens asking his father if I could ask him to marry me. And while I was doing that like some stupid pathetic idiot, Kurt was drinking champagne or something with that James, celebrating his new job, did I tell you he got a new job? Well he didn't tell me either, but he told James and they went on somewhere and ended up kissing and god knows what else.."

Cooper blew breath out in a steady stream. He hadn't expected that. He reached over and touched Blaine's hand who was now trembling and breathing deeply.

"But he told you?"

" He tells me everything eventually, I get the thing about the job, he told me about that yesterday and yes, I get that….I wasn't happy, but honestly I brought that on myself, I said something stupid and he went to try for a different job"

" He didn't have to tell you about James though Blaine.." Cooper didn't really want to get side tracked into a conversation about Kurt's job.

"No, but am I meant to say its all okay because he told me. Doe's he think that by telling me that it makes it alright that I won't feel as horrible as I do right now."

"Where did you leave things?" Cooper asked tentatively.

" I don't know, I just had to get out of the house, he was crying and saying he was sorry ….he didn't say it was only a kiss and not a big deal, because he knows for me that is a big deal, he didn't try and make it less of something, he just kept on saying sorry."

" I'm sorry Blaine…" Blaine was back to sobbing. Cooper knew this wasn't a conversation they could finish tonight. He also knew that whatever the conversation that Kurt had had with Blaine it wouldn't have been one that Blaine was listening too. Blaine would have been too upset and his mind would have been racing.

" Okay, I am going to make you up a bed in the study area, and run you a bath.." and we are going to talk about this more tomorrow. " Does that sound alright ?" Blaine nodded. " Will you check on Kurt ?" Blaine asked through sniffles. Cooper smiled slightly. " Sure"

Cooper gave Kurt a quick call, telling him he'd talk to Blaine properly the next day but that Blaine had asked him to check on him to make sure he was okay.

* * *

><p>Kurt went to bed crying that night. He wasn't sure if they had, had a fight, their biggest fight or him and Blaine had just broken up. He didn't want to think that it could be the latter, it just made him feel sick, almost physically so. He couldn't sleep. He tried to think would he would have done if the tables were turned but he couldn't because he knew that Blaine would never have hurt him in this way. Yes, there were lots of guys who tried to make a play for Blaine, girls too for that matter. But Blaine would tell Kurt in a matter of fact way, he'd certainly never hang out with them in the same way that Kurt had with James. Part of Kurt wondered why Blaine hadn't told him not to see James, but he knew the answer to that to, Blaine just implicitly trusted Kurt. All the thinking was making Kurt feel worse. He desperately wanted to speak to Blaine to tell him how he had behaved stupidly. He hadn't even been able to tell Blaine that the moment he realised what had happened he'd rushed out and when James ran after him, yelling then trying to kiss him again, he had slapped him, screaming at him that he was with Blaine. Would that make any difference? Kurt didn't know.<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

It was Sunday and not a day for even thinking of waking early. Cooper was padding about his apartment a little more quietly than usual, making coffee and setting out some things for breakfast, he had a routine for weekend breakfast, orange juice, yoghurt and fruit, and a bit of toast and peanut butter. He'd usually have some music on by now but wanted to keep the noise levels down. He was pretty certain that his brother wouldn't have got much sleep last night and thought he had heard him get up and move about the apartment throughout the night. It was just past 10.30. He'd think about waking Blaine up around 11.00. He checked his phone and saw that he had a missed call from Kurt around 20 minutes earlier. Usually, he'd not have given a second thought to calling Kurt back but it just seemed a little awkward now, should he mention it to Blaine? Before or after he called him, should he call him at all ? Before he could think about it anymore he pressed the call button. The phone rang..

"Hi" said a sad voice softly at the end.

" Hi, Kurt, how are you ?" Cooper realised that this was probably not his most inspiring choice of words for the occasion. And added quickly before Kurt could think of answering " Are you ok Kurt ?"

"I'm alright I suppose...I just wanted to see if Blaine was alright, he won't answer his phone.."

"He's asleep right now, he's ok I suppose, we had a bit of a chat last night.." Cooper felt a little uncomfortable, he didn't want to not speak to Kurt. He genuinely liked him, he really always had but at the same time he wasn't sure whether it really was ok to talk to Kurt about his brother who was sleeping a few metres away. Part of him wanted to say to Kurt that actually his brother was heart broken like Kurt was and neither of them were really fooling anyone.

" Do you want me to tell him you called ?" There was silence at the end of the phone.

" I don't really know, he won't call me back will he?" Cooper could tell that Kurt was about to cry.

" Hey, " replied Cooper soothingly, " I'll tell him you called. He'll speak to you when he can, I know he will, but if he speaks to you too soon he'll be just too upset to really listen and I don't think that will help.."

" I just really miss him..." Kurt continued his guard finally falling. " You must hate me too, now you know..."

Cooper paused for a moment. "Are you on your own Kurt ? "

" Yeah, I am fine though.."

" I'm sorry Kurt but you don't sound fine, I'm going out to play a bit of tennis this afternoon and if it's ok with you, I am going to pop over to your place on the way back.."

" You don't have to.."

" I want to, we can go and get a coffee or something, I'll tell Blaine, but he'll be ok with it. "

" thank you..." said a slightly brighter Kurt.

" See you later"

When Cooper had finished clearing away the breakfast things he turned to see Blaine, who must have walked softly behind him, he was washed, presumably showered and dressed and looking expectantly at Cooper. Cooper thought how awful he looked all worn with rings around his eyes, paler than he thought was possible.

" I need to head to the office"

"You do? " Cooper didn't think Blaine was strong enough right now to be challenged.

"yep, there's a bit of a backlog of stuff for me to get through from when I was away last week..".he looked down as the memory of his conversation with Kurt's father hit him, sharply..

"Ok" replied Cooper pressing Blaine's lower arm lightly. He could see through this excuse, but didn't want to push things especially as he could see tears forming.

"I'll drive you down if you want, have a cup of coffee while I get my tennis things?"

"I've got my car here...but I'll have the coffee if that's ok..."

"Sure" Cooper moved to pour out some coffee, and at the same time reached into the fridge to pull out a yoghurt. He pushed the two over to his brother and paused a little to watch him take a first sip.

" I spoke to Kurt a little earlier, I had a missed call on my phone from him so I called him back."

"Oh, did he want anything ?"

"only to ask after you...if you're not ok with this I won't but, I was going to pop over there after my tennis game, he sounded broken Blaine..."

Blaine didn't have the energy to have an opinion, so he just sat quietly.

" No, I don't mind, but I just... don't mention anything about me will you ?"

" Ok, that's fair, I won't share anything that you have said to me with him, I wouldn't anyway" Blaine just nodded at Cooper's reply.

" Could you get me some work shirts and my blue suit please ?"

Cooper just nodded, his natural instinct was to say "no", Blaine should see Kurt and talk to him, Cooper though it would be cruel to take some of Blaine's things from the apartment while Kurt watched, but Blaine just looked so fragile that he wasn't going to argue with him.

Blaine looked up again, " Check that he's eaten something, he never eats if he's upset"

* * *

><p>When Kurt opened the door, Cooper was faced with a wreck...a pale shivering wreck, scarlet eyes that looked so sore, Cooper wondered how Kurt could even possibly see. He instinctively pulled him into a hug, only to feel Kurt shuddering and sobbing.<p>

Kurt pulled away quickly trying to gain some composure but all the time failing.

" We're going out.. I think you need some fresh air, I suspect you need something to eat...get your things" his voice was commanding but gentle at the same time too.

"I can't I look awful..."

Thirty minutes later after Kurt had washed his face and brushed his hair and put on a sweater despite the summer day, they were in a coffee shop. The sort that's large and where people come and go so no one really cares about the two guys in the corner one dressed in tennis pants and the other rotating his coffee cup through his fingers with a tear stained face.

When Cooper didn't really know what he was going to say, he just wanted to get Kurt out into the fresh air and to buy him something to eat as it was most likely that he hadn't eaten a thing since Blaine had left the morning before and it was unlikely that he would do so later either. Cooper didn't want to interfere or become a messenger between Kurt and Blaine, but nor was he happy to sit back and just let them lose each other. He knew there was more to what Kurt had told Blaine, but wasn't sure if finding that out would be prying or helping. So he thought he'd ask Kurt about the present and began by asking if Kurt had slept and eaten, the answer to which he already knew and also whether he had any friends that he could talk to, he knew that even if he had, Kurt was a private person and wouldn't share this with them. Kurt sat twiddling his coffee staring for a while, he had hardly noticed that Cooper had ordered them some sandwiches.

"You're being nice to me, and I brought this on myself. I ruined everything.. I don't understand why you aren't mad at me for hurting Blaine"

Cooper just bit his lip. "I'm worried about you Kurt and I don't want to see you and Blaine throw what you have away, and Blaine's my brother but you are also one of my closet friends you know" Kurt had never really thought of his relationship with Cooper outside of the context of Blaine, really because he never had to, so why would he ?

" I can't even talk to Blaine, I don't know why I was so stupid to even spend time with James, and now I don't even know what Blaine thinks, but honestly" Kurt slowed as the spoke the next bit. " honestly I didn't, I didn't do anything...I mean I hit him and left, I didn't kiss him back, I left, but it's my fault that it happened.. Blaine's upset and angry and I can't talk to him because there's nothing that I can do to excuse what I did..." He kept on repeating himself in a tangled murmur.

" Listen, talk to Blaine, when he's cooled down just talk to him..I am not going to pretend that I wouldn't be a bit put out if that had happened to me, but just explain it all, ."

" How is Blaine ?" Kurt added after listening to Cooper and thinking a little.

" He knows I am here, with you but he asked me not to talk about him to you, so I can't ...but he hasn't said you have broken up, and to be honest he hasn't said a bad word about you...and I have kind of noticed that you have done pretty much the same with him..."

Kurt nodded. "You'll both be fine" Cooper said almost cheerily. " I better get back, but could I grab a couple of works shirt for Blaine and a blue suit."

Kurt's momentary optimism suddenly fell. " Hey he didn't ask me to bring his whole closet over...just a couple of shirts and one suit, that's all"

* * *

><p>Cooper was doing his usual Sunday evening cooking, he had decided a year ago that he really needed a non sporting hobby and thought cookery would be a good one to have on a number of accounts, not least that he could probably use it to impress a future girlfriend. He had genuinely become interested in it and would now spend Sunday evenings trying out a new recipe. He thought he would try a thai curry for him and Blaine and was browning some chicken when Blaine came through the door.<p>

" Hi " Blaine said casually as living with his brother and working on a Sunday evening was a perfectly normal arrangement.

" Hey, so how did it go then?"

" I got most of what I needed to get done, so not too bad…."

" Really?"

" Yep…did you see Kurt then?"

" Yes…I got your stuff it's on your bed, nice suit by the way.."

" How was Kurt…?" Blaine said, finally cutting to the chase and stopping the neutral banter that was going on.

" Well, pretty wrecked really." Cooper stopped looking at his cookery book and turned to Blaine.

" Did you really get much done at the office Blaine.?."

Blaine looked down at his feet and just shook his head. " No I couldn't concentrate, I couldn't really think straight at all to be honest…did he ask about me?"

" God Blaine, of course he asked about you, I felt terrible taking your things, he just pointed to your room and where you kept your shirts and your side of the closet, as if that was entirely obvious, he just wants to talk to you, he's completely heart broken…and honestly looking at you, you really don't seem to be much better. "

Blaine didn't respond and just walked back to his bed to see two neatly folded shirts and his suit laid out, he sat down fiddling with the fabric and smoothing down the collar, while sitting on the bed. He wasn't sure how much time had passed until he heard Cooper call from the Kitchen.

" Come and eat something" Cooper called. Blaine got up and sulkily walked over to him, standing in front of the counter.

" You only brought two shirts?"

" Well how many did you think you'd need ?"

Blaine looked down again and began fiddling with bits of left over cut up vegtables from the chopping board which were left lying around.

" I can stay somewhere else…."

" You know that's not at all what I meant, talk to Kurt, get out of here and sort things out between you, I can understand why you are really pissed and mad but seriously don't let it destroy everything…." Somehow while giving this little pep talk he managed to open a bottle of beer and slide it over to Blaine.

Kurt felt lost in his own apartment. He went to the bedroom and distractedly started opening the closet doors almost checking what was left in there and what Blaine had taken with him and what Cooper had taken for him.

Even with Kurt's keen eye for fashion, he really thought that all Blaine's suit's looked pretty much the same, the wardrobe looked pretty untouched, a couple of pairs of jeans were missing which Blaine must have slung into his bag as he left but the suit that Cooper had taken hardly left a dent. He began opening drawers not really knowing why, he hardly noticed any of the shirts were missing at all and he thought that Cooper must have taken a lot of care to carefully put all the shirts back neat and tidily in the drawer and to make it look like nothing had been missing at all.

Kurt never really looked in Blaine's allocated drawers that we significantly less in number than his and it struck him how ordered Blaine's things were when he looked at them now. He scooped up a pile of shirts and buried his head in them, feeling their softness and smelling that fresh laundered smell that he took in each morning as Blaine headed off to work and kissed him good bye. He tried not to sob on them and ruin them. He lowered them back deeply into the drawer and as he did so felt something brush against his hand, he reached further and could feel a hard object which he pulled it forward. It was a box, it looked like a cufflink box to Kurt but he didn't really recollect Blaine having any smart cufflinks that he hadn't bought him. The box looked familiar though. He opened it and realised why instantly, inside was his mother's wedding ring. Partly confused, his mind flashed, why would Blaine have that ring ? and then he felt suddenly cold. He slumped back on the bed sobbing uncontrollably. He really had ruined everything, his mind tried to scabble back to when Blaine could have taken the ring and was certain that it must have been recently, there was hardly a minute when they were apart during his last visit home with Blaine. He remembered that his Dad had called him just as Blaine arrived back from his recent trip and he thought it was odd that at the time that his dad seemed to know that Blaine had even been away. Blaine had him always told each other that they missed one another when Blaine was away this time Blaine was almost repetitive about it, he had also planned the weekend away the following week.

Kurt felt so full of sadness it physically hurt, he couldn't blame himself any more than he was doing. Partly he was consumed with sadness for the situation that he had put himself in but even more so because how he really must have hurt Blaine.

**Ok, I know a sad chapter but sometimes things get worse before they get better...please review xx**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Blaine was sitting in his office, it was lunch time and he was checking emails while balancing a sandwich. It was five days since he had walked out of the apartment. He had managed, although he was not entirely sure how he did, to keep his mind off Kurt while he was at work for the most part. This seemed to involve getting in earlier, working longer and hardly leaving the building in between, at all. He was adopting the strategy of not having a waking moment spare when he could think about Kurt and ensuring that he was so exhausted by the time that he finally came to think about sleeping. But it was a plan that wasn't really working, for most of the night he just couldn't stop thinking about Kurt. He had asked Cooper a couple of times if he had spoken to Kurt with the sub text being that he wanted Cooper to call him, just to check that he was alright. Blaine was actually confusing himself, he missed Kurt desperately, everything seemed to be a reminder of Kurt, even the ham sandwich he was eating, reminded him of the times that Kurt would call just before lunch and ask if he was free and magically appear with a salad or roll that he had made, holding a couple of cups of coffee. But by the same token he was almost frightened to speak to Kurt, he was almost too frightened to know what to do. He wanted to re-wind to a time when he was happy when they were happy. Blaine's avoidance tactic was one that was not lost on Cooper who despite still living in his flat he barely saw at all. Cooper had therefore taken the step of sending him an email invite for dinner, Blaine read that as being at least an hour of having to talk about the thing that he was doing his best to ignore.

It was probably because of his constant state of distraction that he answered his phone without for a moment even looking at it.

" Hi it's me, Kurt"

"Hi" replied Blaine, breathily, surprised and a little bit panicked, as though he had some how been caught out.

" I didn't think you'd pick up.. how are you doing?"

" I didn't look at the phone before I answered it... sorry that's not what I meant, I'm ok really, not the best I have been but ok,... .."

Kurt didn't really know how to take this, what did it mean exactly ? really he wanted to hear Blaine say that he missed him, that he wanted to speak to him, to see him. Not that everything was sort of ok really, but before his thoughts could carry on any further Blaine continued.

" I really miss you, I am working all the time and doing stuff just so I don't have any time to miss you, but I still do."

At that, Kurt let out a breath he had been holding.

" Me too, a lot... I wanted to call you before, I mean I tried to call you before but I guess everything was just too much. Can we talk Blaine please? If you are not ready that's fine, but I sort of think because you haven't slammed the phone down you might be able to talk to me..."

" Yeah...I wouldn't slam the phone down on you, we should do that, talk I mean," For some reason all the hurt and pain Blaine thought he would feel when he heard Kurt's voice just seemed to disappear, he just wanted to see Kurt.

At the end of the phone Kurt was smiling, not the biggest smile but a hopeful, this could be ok kind of smile.

"When would suit you?" He asked Blaine politely.

" this evening ? if that's ok for you..." Blaine replied back just as politely. Despite the time they had known each other and the intimacy that went along with that, they were nearly always polite, not that there weren't moments of lapsing into swearing but they never swore at each other.

" Oh, I'll have to check my diary...of course I can see you this evening " Or any evening ever, thought Kurt as he replied trying to make a small joke.

* * *

><p>Blaine called Cooper to let him know that he wouldn't be able to meet him that evening for dinner. Cooper sounded happy when they spoke.<p>

" And remember to let him speak and don't interrupt..." he counselled Blaine.

" Oh, I have just gone back to being age 7 again...are you going to confiscate my Ken doll then ?"

" Don't push me, I am sure there is something that I can confiscate...where are your car keys ? you know what I am saying, I hope it goes well, and say hi to Kurt for me won't you ?"

" Thanks, and I will"

* * *

><p>For lack of a better place that they could both think of, they decided on a Deli to meet just north of Grand Central. Blaine didn't think that going to their apartment was a great idea and Kurt would have spent rest of the evening fussing about making them something to eat, and Blaine was frankly so nervous he wasn't sure that he could eat anything anyway.<p>

Kurt had arrived before him and was sitting in a booth towards the back and was checking his phone with a coffee cup in him and another in the empty space opposite him. He only noticed Blaine by the time that he had almost reached the table and he got up instantly, Blaine drew him into a hug and they both held each other tightly for a few moments before sitting down.

Despite the sadness of the whole circumstances that set up this meeting, neither of them could help smiling.

" Thanks for the coffee " said Blaine looking at the cup in front of him.

" You're welcome, you look good you know..."

" It's a facade, I feel awful, I wish I was a girl and could resort to make up, they have it easy on that score

"

" I don't...wish you were a girl." Blaine laughed at Kurt's response.

" You look a little pale, even for your fine porcelain skin" Blaine responded almost surveying Kurt.

They rambled a little longer like this skirting around the issue, skirting around everything, talking about Blaine's job a little, funny little habits about Cooper, Blaine confessing that Cooper wasn't the world's best cook even though he seemed to possess every cookery book published. The atmosphere softened between them and both were now smiling easily. At some point during the conversation they had both begun holding hands which was unusual as it wasn't something they did often in public but both just wanted to touch the other in just a small way.

"So" said Blaine slightly tugging Kurt and getting up, their coffees both now finished.

" Let's walk and talk…"

"where are we walking to?" Kurt asked quizzically.

" We'll that big expanse of park over there.." he said pointing in the direction of central Park as Kurt followed him out of the diner.

They ambled along talking a little more about nothing in particular, but feeling more and more relaxed with each other. When they entered the park the mood changed a little and Blaine felt himself tense, there was no avoiding the hard conversation that was to follow.

Neither was sure who should talk first, but Kurt figuring that he made the call, felt he should probably begin.

" Well" he said sighing deeply,

" I want to know what happened Kurt, I know you told me but to be honest I just felt so hurt and confused that I am not sure if I even took what you were saying in…just tell me.." Blaine replied quickly.

Kurt nodded as they carried on walking at a slower pace through the park and past the couples sitting soaking up the sun, girls pulling up the hems of their dresses to catch more sunshine on their pale legs.

"Well, I know you warned me about James and told me that he had a sort of thing about me, and I suppose if I am being honest, I think I decided somehow in my head that he didn't even though I knew you were right. But honestly thinking back now he'd say stuff, compliment…. the way he'd look at me… but he always seemed to respect you and me, so I kind of thought everything was ok really. I think if I had admitted to myself that he liked me than I wouldn't have stayed to have a drink with him after our lessons, because I would have felt bad "

Kurt paused a moment almost waiting for the Blaine he knew to interrupt, but Blaine didn't, recalling his brother's conversation with him earlier.

"So, after the last lesson we had our usual drink and we chatted about Cooper's party a bit, and I didn't really keep track of time or how much I had been drinking, and I told him about my job, and he decided we should celebrate, even though I didn't know I wanted it and I said I needed to talk to you "

Blaine bit his lip, he was really trying hard not repeat his earlier feelings of hurt that Kurt had shared news with James and not with him, but he sort of understood why and resisted the urge to repeat what they had spoken about earlier.

" I drank a lot Blaine, there was champagne, he ordered a bottle …anyway, then I really needed to eat so we just headed to a diner, and then he said something about a club he knew or something like that, so we went there and it was really nice, quite classy, not loud and we danced a bit, sort of fun dancing, you know all arms in the air… then he was kissing me and I sort of panicked and just pushed him a bit and he didn't try and stop so I just slapped him, I don't even know what I said.."

" You slapped him" said Blaine, who no longer looked quite so serious and had stopped walking.

" well, yeah, not a massive swing, but I didn't know how to make him stop, so I just slapped him on the cheek…"

" you slapped him?" Blaine repeated, trying not to smile a little.

" I didn't think Blaine, I just wanted him to leave me alone and then I just ran out of the club"

" I wish I had been there…" Blaine interrupted again. Kurt turned to look at him puzzled and then it dawned on him, why Blaine was shaking his head a little looking to the ground and smiling.

" Oh… Blaine, you know I don't believe in physical violence for anything, but it seemed the only way to make him stop, and it did work" his voice lightening at the end of the sentence.

" So, that's it, you know about the calls, the last time I spoke to him was the conversation you heard…I am really sorry Blaine, I am just so sorry that I hurt you"

" Kurt" Blaine said softly not knowing really what else to say. He knew that he could never have had this conversation with Kurt a few days earlier. He reached for Kurt's hand.

"So…" asked Kurt tentatively.

" So" repeated Blaine pulling Kurt into a hug and holding him still and tightly. When he let go, he began to speak again. " I knew it wasn't your fault about the kiss, Kurt, but I suppose what hurt me, hurts me", he corrected was that you liked this guy and you wanted to spend time with him and you shared stuff with him that you didn't share with me.."

" I know, I know that now Blaine, I think at the time I was just a bit flattered, he was a friend who paid me compliments, it's different for you loads of guys just like you, even girls like you, but it's not like that for me, I don't have guys dropping drinks on me just for an excuse to touch me in a bar or writing their phone numbers on napkins…"

Blaine winced at Kurt's examples all of which were true, and most had happened in front of Kurt too which made matters worse.

" And I don't pay you compliments Kurt? Do I not make you feel good, don't I do those things ?" His tone was a little vexed. "Sometimes Blaine…I'm not saying you don't and I feel good just being with you, but other than you I have no other real friends and I just liked James being my friend, I just liked that feeling…" he bit his lip as he spoke.

Blaine went back to looking at the ground. " Blaine are you really telling me that even if you don't act on it you don't like some of the attention that you get ?"

" Yeah, I do I suppose but I don't go for dinner dates with people that I know feel that way about me…" His words were sharp, but Blaine almost couldn't help it.

" I know you don't, and I was stupid to do that…I don't know what else I can say to you Blaine.. I love you so much and I hate myself for the way I have made you feel" Kurt's voice was breaking now and he felt so much like he was about to cry.

" Hey " Blaine moved closer to Kurt again. " I don't want to fight with you, I hate that too, I just want us to get back to where we were Kurt, well may be not quite there, because if things can't have been so right, well …" he stopped short "I want to work this out Kurt" his voice trailed away. " I want us to fix this, because I miss you too much and I hate not being with you…. And because I love you too "

Kurt nodded sniffing. " Come home"

They both fell into a tight hug, Blaine smelling Kurt's hair and rubbing his hands on Kurt's back. When they finally let go, Blaine reached forward and grabbed Kurt's hand, holding it tightly. " Let's walk back then…

**There's more to come….and there's that ring of course…**

**Please review and thank you to those have reviewed and added this story to their favourites and alerts xx**


	17. Chapter 17

**Dear Readers, I am sorry for the delay in posting this chapter….I'll have another one out over the weekend, and I've made this one a bit longer than usual to make up for the delay..**

Chapter 17

The next couple of days after their fight and Blaine had returned home had a slight fragility about them, with both of them trying, to be more attentive, more considerate, understanding and just nicer. Blaine had taken to leaving for work a little earlier and arriving home a little earlier too, and sending affectionate texts throughout the day. Kurt had dropped off some sandwiches at Blaine's office on a day when he knew that Blaine had a meeting and was forced to skip lunch. He left nothing more than a note attached with a smile on them.

It was now a week before the time the summer was officially over and school would begin again. Kurt had been chased by his potential new employer because he hadn't told them if he wanted the job, but really he knew what he wanted to do and that was not to take the job, it's promise of status and glamour seemed less appealing now. In the short time a part he realised that really what he wanted was the warmth of Blaine. Theoretically he could have both, but he knew that spending days away from Blaine travelling wasn't what he wanted at all.

Blaine had arrived home earlier than usual to find Kurt setting out ingredients for dinner. Blaine had slung himself over the counter top and was leaning forward picking at various vegetables that Kurt was about to make into some sort of ragu. Kurt has resisted all earlier temptations to bat his fingers away. The need to find some togetherness again was one thing, but really, Kurt was never one to share his kitchen and luckily he had a boyfriend who had the ability to burn water and who knew the boundaries of the kitchen. He was however, pushing those boundaries this evening and was now munching on a tomato slice out of want to just fiddle with something.

" Ok you can stop that" said Kurt, swiping his hand away from the bowl that he was hovering over.

"Oooh it's a slippery slope, first the slap..." Blaine was laughing as he spoke.

" Please don't bring that up..." Kurt pleaded a little, slightly relived that the subject of James could be brought up with humour.

" What ? or I'll get a wack as well will I" Blaine replied in a slightly challenging tone, deciding this was one he was not going to just let drop. Kurt, slumped back against the stove looking a little dejected. And stared, which was the cue for Blaine to come around from the counter and rub his arms gently.

" Hey I am teasing you, but I kind do wish I could have seen you slap him, you know..." he kissed him gently on his cheek, and drew a smile from Kurt. Kurt gave a little " humph" and Blaine moved out of the way back to his position on the other side of the counter while Kurt began to chop more.

" I need to make a decision about that job" he said almost nonchalantly, without looking up as he continued to move the knife up and down the chopping board.

" You do" nodded Blaine.

" I think I ...I think I want to go back to school next week.."

Blaine just smiled at him, knowing that Kurt hadn't finished speaking quite yet.

" I weighed it all up, the good bits and the bad, and there were more bad than good.."

" I see" replied Blaine again, nodding.

" And I weighed up the good bits and bad bits about being a teacher and there were more good"

Blaine just nodded again.

" So, what do you think then?" asked Kurt, feeling a little flustered, he was hoping for more input to be honest and hoping that if anything this decision could be a joint one for them.

" Well, I think that you are the teacher that I always wanted to have when I was at school and that it is something that you are good at, I mean really good at. And there might be bits about that job that you don't like, but it's something that you are gifted at. But that doesn't mean that you wouldn't be gifted at something else because you are one of those people who is clever and can do anything, but if you had a job that took you away travelling a lot, then I would really miss you and ...I sort of think long term then may be that wouldn't be so good... for us, I know it sounds selfish but really only part of it is"

" Oh, long term..." It was Kurt's turn to nod now.

" Yes, you know long term... you know if we wanted to have a dog or something, puppies pine and miss their owners, and if we had a puppy I get the feeling it would want to spend time with you... " a slight smile crossed his lips as he darted forward to playfully steal another piece of tomato.

" Puppies ?..."

" Well you're not a cat person, so yes, puppies and other stuff "

" other stuff ?"

" Well, we might not always want to be in this apartment.."

" I love this apartment, I like the colours particularly..." Kurt stopped to pause and take in the walls around him, silently admiring his own good taste.. "and I thought you loved the apartment too, ok I know you are not quite so keen on the location.."

" We might need something a little bigger...you could re-decorate somewhere new.."

" Bigger?"

" For the puppies Kurt..." Blaine leaned forward to take another slice of tomato.

" You're back to the puppies are you?"

"Well may be not exactly puppies…" Blaine teased again.

" Ouch" Blaine said as Kurt hit him with the spoon that he was about to use.

" I asked you nicely before..." he said, smiling back.

* * *

><p>The next few weeks passed and things between them relaxed more. They decided to head out to the Hamptons as Blaine had planned before their fight, the hotel had been booked for Saturday night and it would give them a chance to spend some time together and ignore all the chores and other domestic things that seemed to occupy their time during their usual weekends. It was quiet when they drove through the villages, most people having headed home just after Labour day. The flash cars with open tops that meandered the lanes had gone. The Hamptons during the summer was not really their scene, it was too genteel.<p>

To be honest it reminded Blaine of the life his parents had aspired to, and of holidays from his child hood spent with family friends from the country club when they would play along the sandy beaches. It was too ordered and precise and clean. When the crowds had left to the end of the summer, the villages still retained the charm. Both Kurt and Blaine despite having grown up in a small town, were city people at heart and the Hamptons was popular with New Yorkers because it provided a very sanitised version of the country which true urban dwellers could cope with.

They arrived before lunch and checked into their hotel. Blaine remembering smartly the conservatism of the Hamptons as he signed them both in and read the look on the young concierge's face. They were both used to it, not that it didn't make them feel uneasy but they were both resigned to it by now.

After having lunch at a cafe and indulging in bit of people watching they meandered the ordered streets looking at the boutique shops that lined their way. Kurt had spotted a shirt that he thought would show off Blaine's skin tone and tugged him into the shop to try it on, Blaine sluggishly followed. Really he preferred watching Kurt try things on, he was far keener for starters. Blaine tended to shop when he needed to replace something. Kurt tended to shop when he spotted something that he just liked, and in this case it was something that he liked for Blaine.

Blaine had become used to Kurt's shopping habits. Kurt whooping with enthusiasm as he raced around the racks picking up items and draping them over his arm. Once he had a picked out a couple of items he would then slow down a little and start picking over the rails in more detail. Today he returned to Blaine who had hardly moved at all since entering the shop and presented a bundle of shirts to him.

"Try these, I think they'd all bring out your skin tone" he said handing the parcel on to a reluctant Blaine.

" Pink, this one's pink Kurt ?"

" Yes it is, a light refreshing summery pink, perfect with the tan that you are gradually acquiring…" Blaine raised an eye brow and looked hesitant.

" Go" Kurt ordered.

Blaine found his way to the dressing room, Kurt following a little behind, distracted by more clothes on the way and found a seat near by. Blaine in the mean time was thinking of a strategy for trying the clothes on, he thought if Kurt already had an idea for the pink shirt then if it worked he could get away without having to try the rest and could just buy the pink shirt and leave the shop.

When he emerged a few moments later wearing the light pink cotton shirt, Kurt's face lit up. " Perfect…it really suits you"

Blaine smiled " Good I'll take it then" He returned back to the fitting room without letting Kurt say any more. Kurt slumped back in the chair and waited for Blaine to return with the next shirt on. Blaine emerged back from the fitting room in his own clothes.

" Blaine, you're not finished you know"

" I'm not ? We're taking the pink one aren't we?" Blaine said not walking any further and looking at Kurt who had not got up from his chair.

" Try on the others _please_ we haven't been shopping for you in ages…" Kurt switched to a slightly pouty pleading look.

" Kurt…can't we just go pay and go back outside ?"

Kurt didn't say anything but the pleading look still remained.

"Ok…." Said Blaine his eyes slightly thrown up to the ceiling.

After about another 15 minutes it was agreed that a mint green linen shirt and the pink cotton shirt should be purchased and Blaine returned back to the changing room to get back into this original clothes. When he emerged into the shop he found Kurt at the till waiting for the cashier to ring the total up.

" That's 175 dollars…" the cashier said reaching for some tissue paper.

Kurt handed over his credit card. Blaine who had been standing there somewhat absent mindedly suddenly noticed the pink card being handed over.

" Hey, that's your card.."

"Hmm, I know " replied Kurt with a slightly lowered voice. " my treat…" he added.

" Kurt, come on, put it on our joint card, really it should just be on mine…" Kurt, shook his head and gestured to the cashier to proceed.

Kurt and Blaine had their finances sorted so that they had a joint account for household expenses and anything that they were paying for jointly like hotels and flights. They also had their own account for personal things, really Blaine used his primarily for buying gifts for Kurt and his family. They agreed an amount which they both paid in each month, Blaine would pay in more to reflect his higher salary. When they both sat down to work this out a few years ago, Blaine suggested that they should decided on how much they wanted to keep aside for personal things and then pay the balance into the joint account so their personal money would be the same regardless of what they earned, but Kurt wouldn't have that, saying that it was unfair on Blaine.

Blaine would nearly always pay for dinners for both of them and anything where he took Kurt to, on his personal account often without Kurt knowing, but would make sure that anything for Kurt that was purchased when he was with him came out from the joint account. He knew that Kurt didn't have heaps of cash spare.

They left the shop and Kurt handed him the bag. " Thank you" Blaine said kissing Kurt lightly on the cheek. "I'll wear one this evening…"

They returned back to the hotel, and after showering and changing headed out for dinner. They found a cosy restaurant serving seafood and chatted about Kurt's plans for his new year at school. Blaine always loved hearing Kurt talk about the school children, he would mention their personalities and little idosyncarcies. It seemed a long time since that awful week end a few weeks before when they hadn't even been able to speak to each other at all. While Kurt was talking Blaine reached out and just gently tucked Kurt's hand into his. Kurt stopped talking for a moment and looked at Blaine, smiling softly before carrying out with his stories.

After finishing dinner they strolled back to the hotel. Kurt's mind was thinking about the engagement ring and wondering if this had been some of the motivation behind Blaine planning the weekend, he was pretty certain that this was his original plan, but wondered if it still was. Where things different with them now ? Immediately after Blaine returned yes, but gradually that feeling of slightly walking on egg shells desperately trying not to hurt each other's feelings, seemed to have gone.

Kurt had washed and brushed his teeth first and lay in bed, fiddling with the tv remote control and flicking through channels, when Blaine got into bed, Kurt snuggled down turning off the T. Blaine turned off the lampstand light. Kurt pulled him nearer and began kissing him lightly and softly. " Thank you for today" he said pausing and not letting Blaine answer before he began kissing him again. Kurt began sliding his hands up and down Blaine's sides, moving slightly above Blaine and kissing a little harder.

"Hmm…I need to get some sleep…" Blaine mumbled, trying to break off the kisses. Kurt ignored him and carried on kissing.

"Hey, sleep" Blaine repeated gently.

" Ohh, sorry.. " said Kurt, stopping and sinking back down into bed.

" Kiss me goodnight ?" asked Blaine gently.

" Goodnight " responded Kurt kissing Blaine one more time before turning over.

Kurt snuggled over to his side of the bed a little more. He tried not to feel hurt, but they hadn't so much more than kissed a few times, since their fight, Kurt couldn't even think of the weekend that Blaine left without some of the feeling coming back to him, so he would think of it in his mind as " that weekend". Now he reaslised that since the fight every time they were on the brink of becoming intimate Blaine would find some reason to stop, never unkindly just something would always seem to crop up, a phone call he needed to made or he would need to get up to go to work early the next morning. There just always seemed to be something. Kurt thought this weekend would be different, he'd tried kissing Blaine when they arrived but they'd both agreed to head out and enjoy the day. They weren't going to have a busy day tomorrow just a late breakfast and then they'd drive around a few more villages before heading back, they really didn't have any firm plans. Kurt curled into his side of the bed more and tried not to keep Blaine awake by fidgeting, but try as he might he couldn't stop the tears that were forming in his eyes and threatening to slide down his cheeks. He sniffed a little, quietly, but he couldn't keep the tears from forming.

Blaine could see Kurt's silloutte in the darkness, his shoulders hunched and heard the sniff and the sniffs that followed. He immediately felt very guilty.

" Kurt" he spoke gently.

There was no reply.

" Kurt" he repeated reaching his arm forward and placing his hand gently on Kurt's shoulder.

He moved closer beside Kurt.

" Kurt, talk to me.." Blaine asked gently.

"I'm fine " Kurt answered, not turning around.

Blaine raised himself up so he was half sitting and lowered himself above Kurt,

"Hey, talk to me…" He knew Kurt was upset, his whole posture told him so. He gently pulled Kurt around so he was lying on his back and Blaine was still hovering over him.

"Hey" he said, tracing tears gently with his thumb on Kurt's cheek. "talk to me…" he asked gently again.

"It's nothing…I'm sorry" Kurt replied trying to turn back around.

" It's not nothing, you are upset… I upset you…"

"No, it's not you…it's, we've…well, " he looked at Blaine again who was still sweeping tears along Kurt's cheeks.

"We've not…touched, since our fight"

Blaine fell softly back down onto the bed and looked up, letting go of Kurt. So he was now lying on the bed looking up at the ceiling in the semi darkness.

" I know " Blaine replied, reaching back to hold one of Kurt's hands.

" I know, and I'm sorry….I just, I just " Blaine didn't know what he could say which wouldn't be really hurtful or upset Kurt further.

"I know, but I don't know why that is…"

" Don't you think I'm attractive anymore…"

Blaine laughed a little, the idea that anyone wouldn't find Kurt attractive was so removed that it almost sounded faintly silly.

" No, " he said, holding Kurt's hand more tightly and getting up again to resume his semi reclined position. "No, you're so attractive, look at you…"

" I don't know I just, need to let go of what ever is holding me back, I sort of want to, like back there, I wanted to carry on and I just couldn't it, but it's not because I don't find you super sexy or because I don't love you, because I do.." Blaine pulled Kurt's hand up to his lips and kissed his knuckles.

They stayed like that in silence for a few moments longer, until Kurt spoke again.

" Is that why you haven't given me the ring… ?"

Blaine froze. He hadn't any idea that Kurt would have known about the ring that Kurt's father, Burt had given him when he asked Burt if he could marry Kurt, the ring was from Kurt's mother. Neither of them were bothered about snooping and there was no way that Kurt would look in Blaine's cupboard of shirts they were far too conservative for him.

" You know about the ring ?"

Kurt shifted to lie on his side, he nodded.

" How ?"

" I found it with your shirts, that time after Cooper took some back to you, I just wanted to smell you so I pulled up a pile of shirts to sniff, and I found my mother's ring, then it sort of fitted because my dad seemed to call more…"

Blaine felt terrible, he realised that if Kurt had found the ring then it was probably that Kurt would have thought that this weekend was about him proposing . All Blaine had wanted was to spend some relaxed time with Kurt, just to feel closer to him. That was what Blaine thought was missing, it was as though the fight about James and Kurt being kissed by James had made Blaine feel just not so close to Kurt. There were moments when he forgot about James as thought the whole thing never had happened but then there were other times usually when they were together and things were beginning to get intimate that he had fear that the two of them were different together somehow, as though the cracks were still there below the surface. He could see that they both were trying with little gestures, but it didn't feel quite the same. He wanted it to, but it just didn't, there was nothing more that Kurt could do or say, Blaine just felt they needed time and then things were surely but slowly return to how they were.

" I think we need more time " Blaine said still holding Kurt's hand tightly. " just a bit more time"

Kurt nodded he understood what Blaine meant, he felt it too, that slight feeling of unease. He didn't want to pressure Blaine, he was the one who had broken Blaine's trust and it was for Blaine to take as long as he needed to try and fix it.

" Take as long as you need…I'm not going anywhere." said Kurt, sweetly.

" You're right you're not" said Blaine, leaning forward and kissing him, before curling his arms around his waist. " I'm right here too."

**Please review, the next chapter is about Blaine and Cooper with a little Kurt …**


	18. Chapter 18

**Dear Readers**

**Thank you for your reviews, it's always lovely to know that someone out there is reading this. One reader mentioned that the story is too English sounding, and I am sorry for where I have slipped into using English phrases rather than American ones. I am afraid that it's hard for me to pick up on this, so please be patient when you read the story, and I hope that the odd English phrase here and there doesn't detract too much...hope you enjoy this chapter. xx**

**Chapter 18**

"So" said Blaine as he passed the menu back to the waitress and ordered a lasagne " would you take my place as a tribute then ?" he asked Cooper

"Er no…"

" So much for looking after your little brother then.."

"You'd be more likely to survive, you could hide in small places" replied Cooper " and you're quick…you'd have a better chance of winning than me…"

" remind me why we are spending this bonding time together" Blaine raised his eye brows as he spoke.

" Well, because you're the only person I know who hadn't seen the film already .. and I thought you'd otherwise be spending the evening pining after Kurt or sending him text messages non stop"

Blaine and his brother were seated in an Italian restaurant. It was Saturday and they had just seen the Hunger Games. It was Cooper's idea when he heard that Blaine would be on his own on Saturday evening.

"We're not sixteen, we can spend two evenings apart without sending non stop text messages…and besides he probably too busy with his family…"

"Why didn't you go with him then ?"

Blaine paused for a moment. " We don't always go to Lima together…I just thought he would want to spend some time with his family without me, catch up with his dad…"

"Hmm" responded Cooper unconvinced.

"What does that mean" Blaine was a little defensive.

" It means, that the only time you go to Lima separately is when you are visiting our family, largely because our parents find a way to exclude Kurt or make it so embarrassing for him to be there. I always thought you liked spending time with Kurt's family."

" I do, I do…but Kurt didn't mind when I asked him if I could stay here…and it's only a few days. Can we talk about something else ? Are you seeing anyone "

" No, and may be"

" No, what ?"

"No we can't speak about something else just yet, and maybe I am sort of seeing someone, but we can talk about that later. I just wonder if the reason you didn't want to go back to Lima with Kurt was because you went and spoke to his dad about proposing to Kurt and…"

Blaine stopped moving at all for a moment. That was the real reason and it was obvious. He couldn't face seeing Burt, Kurt's dad and couldn't face the fear of thinking that if he was alone with Burt for a moment and he might have to explain why he still had Kurt's mother's ring sitting in a shirt drawer months after he had been given it. To tell the truth he did not know how he would answer that question because he didn't know the answer.

Blaine didn't answer the question at all. His brother had no right to ask, he thought, he had no right to make him answer questions that he didn't even want to think about.

When Kurt had mentioned to him that he wanted to go home to Lima because he hadn't been back for months, Blaine had made some excuse about having to stay in New York for the next couple of weeks to look after some case that could explode. Kurt didn't really question him much further and Blaine sought of felt that may be Kurt wanted to go on his own after all. Not that it was hard spending time in Kurt's family home because it wasn't, he could pretty much do as he pleased, they liked sitting at the dinner table together and having a family meal but beyond that they just all did their own thing, Blaine would leave Kurt and his dad to spend some time together anyway and would pay a visit to his own family, despite everything they were still his family, and a short visit for an hour or so was better than none.

" I don't know….may be, it felt awkward and Kurt didn't push, if he had I might have done. I spoke to his dad on the phone a little when Kurt passed it over on one of our calls yesterday, but that was it. I couldn't really face the idea of seeing his dad and Carole after the last time that I was there….it would feel that I was almost lying to them…" his voice trailed off and he looked down at the table putting his head between his hands.

" I really don't want to talk about this Cooper…"

" We don't have to…" replied Cooper. " I just worry a little about you, trying to make for all the time when I should have worried about you and didn't…" He was looking at this younger brother kindly.

Their food arrived and they both stopped talking as the waitress laid it down.

Blaine looked at the lasagne which the waitress put before him. For a moment he fixed his eyes on it as though it would move off his plate.

" I don't know I am doing, I can just feel myself pulling away and I don't know why. I don't want to but it is as though I just cannot help myself" Blaine looked at Cooper defeated, prodding the lasagne with his fork.

"I try and make things work like they used to, I don't stay in the office so much, I try and notice all the things that Kurt does, but it just all feels so laboured. It doesn't feel natural anymore. I just go home to be home, to make an effort, I try and be all light and bright and ask him about his day but it's an effort and I don't even know why. Sometimes for a while it's natural and easy and things are like they always were but then this feeling just comes back again and I hate that it does. And I think Kurt can see through it, he doesn't seem different to me, although he sort of seems to be trying, I can see him trying to do or say things to make me laugh or to be understanding. "

Cooper just nodded, showing he was listening but not interrupting.

" He's only away two nights and I really miss him, so it's not as though I have lost the feelings I have for him, I'm not really used to him being away and I miss him like crazy. And talking to him on the phone just isn't enough, I just really miss him . And I know when he comes back tomorrow, I'll be all hugging him, and taking his bag from his hand, and he'll have some food which is stepmother has packed for us and I'll want to hear about the trip and what he did with his dad, then it's like a switch in my head will go off and I'll just suddenly feel that I need to pull away. And he'll see it, and he'll look wounded for a moment and then he'll just pick himself up and keep the mood all bright and bouncy...I must feel such a drain to him. "

" I take if you've not spoken then about this ?"

" A little, when we were over in the Hamptons a few weeks back, you know it should have been this lovely romantic weekend, and in many ways it was, but then when it came to going to bed, Kurt wanted to make love.." Cooper coughed a little dramatically

" Er too much information, you are still my little brother and in my world you still play with Ken dolls...so"

" Sorry, well, we spoke about it a little then, but not really, so basically no, I can't, I don't even know what I would be saying, "Kurt, I really love you but I just finding myself pulling away from you and I don't know why ?" What would he do with that ?, how would he feel if I said that to him ?"

" May be he could help you find the "why" ?" Copper asked ever so gently. Neither had touched their food other than to move it a little around the plate.

" May be, or may be he would be really upset and think I am punishing him for that one kiss with James which wasn't his fault. I think he knew that my reason for not going to see his family with him was because I was embarrassed about seeing his dad and asking his permission to marry him and then not asking him. He never said so, but he must have known. And even that's changed, before if we were mad at each other we'd have it out, I'd sulk or brood around the place, and he'd ask me what was the matter or he'd be a bit of a diva, and slam doors or literally bang things on the counter top until I asked him, we'd always do that, sometimes we'd have an argument and at some point it would get to the stage where it was almost silly it's. But now we never argue because we're frightened too, we're frightened to argue in case it doesn't get to the silly stage but it gets to the "we're breaking up stage ""

" He know's about all that, I mean the ring and the proposal ?" asked Cooper sighing.

" Yes, he found his mother's ring, it was in the shirt drawer which you took those shirts from for me when I was staying with you after I left when we had the fight...he'd picked them up to smell. Typical Kurt really always doing something so sweet and adorable. And here's me treating him as though he's murdered someone and I don't even know why."

" Seriously, Blaine, you don't need to tell me but may be you should try and tell yourself, whatever it is that you are afraid of admitting or saying out loud...and then you can try and work on that"

Blaine paused for a moment, and bit his lip tightly fighting back tears.

"I'm afraid that we don't work anymore that we just can't work anymore because we're broken because I am trying to forgive him, and I can and I have for that kiss but it's the rest it's the whole spending evenings with James, and part of me feels bitter and hurt about that, even though I know that its irrational and wrong of me and that all the love that I have for him isn't enough because if I show it then I'll be leading him on, and he'll be expecting that we will be getting married and we'll be living happily ever after and I so confused and muddled.."

Cooper nodded gently not knowing what to say.

Finally after the silence hung for more than a few minutes he asked.

" Do you love him any less now ?"

" No, I love him just as much, but I am afraid of letting myself love him.."

" Do you think we should ask them to bag this up and take it to mine ? you can stay over ? and talk or not talk about it some more ?" Cooper said pointing to the near cold food in front of them.

At that moment the phone rang and Kurt's smiling face flashed up.

Blaine took the call in a flash.

" Hello gorgeous…" Blaine said, instantly being pulled up from the sadness that was hanging over him moments earlier. Just the sound of Kurt's voice made him happy at least for that moment.

" Hey you… what are you up to, a part from missing me and making sure you haven't messed our apartment up after I left it clean for you .."

" Well, I am missing you horribly, and I haven't even dared so much as leave a cup on the counter so you can rest about the apartment, and I am having dinner with Cooper.. ..and I am missing you, did I tell you that? "

Cooper called " Hi Kurt " and waved.

"Oh, good on all counts, say Hi to Cooper….I am just going to have dinner with my Dad and Carole so I wanted to call you before it got too late and just say good night, I won't keep you from you dinner and I really miss you too"

They said their goodbyes, Kurt anxious to get Blaine off the phone because he thought it rude to keep Cooper waiting in the background. " So I'll see you at home tomorrow?"

" No, sweet heart, I'll pick you up from the airport… I don't want you trekking across town"

Kurt made some excuses about not wishing Blaine to get stuck in traffic but all the time secretly thinking he loved romantic airport reunions.

Blaine and Kurt said their good byes again and Blaine turned to Cooper.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to go on so long. "

Cooper looked at him. " You really do love him don't you…"

Blaine nodded.

" Sort this then..." Cooper almost commanded.

**So, that's it for this chapter, a confused Blaine who just keeps on moving forward but then stepping back. We have Kurt back in the next chapter...please review and thank you for reading xx**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Blaine had a been waiting in the arrivals lounge of La Guardia for forty minutes, he 'd arrived early and had just gulped his coffee down and was now waiting for Kurt, who in that moment he caught, walking that brisk elegant walk that Kurt often did. He was carrying his travel holdall and another bag which looked like a grocery bag. Kurt's eyes scanned the airport searching for Blaine, and when he finally saw him he smiled broadly, quickening his pace again, until he was standing in front of Blaine, who had also moved forward.

"Hi, Babe" Blaine said scooping Kurt into a hug and holding him tightly. They both pulled back for a moment and Blaine kissed him Kurt quickly and softly on his lips. "How are you?" said Kurt smiling.

Blaine didn't answer and leaned down to take hold of both bags.

"I'll get those" he said, but Kurt still held tightly to them both.

"You can carry the goodies that Carole packed for us"

Blaine still smiling bent down to pick up the grocery bag trying to peer into them. " Oooh, he said catching the sight of a cake box, did Carole bake for us ?"

" We both did, I made cookies and she made an apple cake, it's really good.."

Blaine drove them home, his hand resting on Kurt's thigh much of them time, and when there was a pause in the traffic he scooped Kurt's hand to his lips and kissed it gently all the time looking at the road ahead. After him and Cooper had left the restaurant the night before they had gone back to Cooper's flat, drank beers, watched a bit of TV and chatted. Blaine decided that he needed to think about things less and just overcome whatever it was that was still holding him back from Kurt. He had to get things to how they were before and for that he had to make an effort, he had to try, so that things would become natural between them again and he wouldn't have to try at all anymore.

" I missed you, you know…"

"Good " replied Kurt a little teasingly.

" Seriously, I really did…"

" I missed you too, actually we all missed you, I think Carole missed all the compliments you give her, she was constantly asking about you…"

" That's sweet…" said Blaine, he knew Carole had a soft spot for him.

The journey continued in a comfortable silence.

When they neared their apartment, Kurt turned to Blaine and suggested that they get some take-out food for later that evening as he felt tired from the flight. Blaine gave him a cheeky smile back and told him not to worry.

" So, " Said Blaine, parking the car. "I have a little surprise"

" Really ?" Said Kurt, alight with excitement even though he was quite tired.

" Well, not that big a surprise, but we don't need to get food in, I've made us dinner.."

He caught a slightly alarmed look that flashed across Kurt's face.

" Hey…don't look like that" Said Blaine, turning off the key and unbuckling his seat belt, he leaned forward and kissed Kurt again. " It's simple and I followed a recipe book word for word"

Cooking was not Blaine's thing. Time had shown that no matter how much he tried really it was just not his thing. He once tried to make popcorn but put so much oil in the pan that it was covered in grease. He tried to make cookies once but they just ended up looking like splattered muffins and tasted overwhelmingly of baking soda. Kurt was the cook in the partnership and just had a flare for it, he could make pastry without a cook book, and he could bake some cakes without scales by just looking at the proportions. Blaine had tried at one point to cook, really so Kurt didn't have to feel that it was his role to cook every evening but they had both agreed that Kurt should be their designated cook, and Kurt preferred things that way, it saved on burnt food, burnt pans burnt everything really.

Kurt, kissed Blaine " Thank you….." he said softly.

They got out of the car and climbed the steps up to the apartment. Blaine unlocked the door, taking the holdall from Kurt's hands and letting him walk into the apartment first, Kurt walked forward and into the main room to see that the table had already been set out with a table cloth, a vase full of flowers and tea lights scattered around the table. He turned back to a smiling Blaine.

" You did all this ?"

Blaine nodded silently, moving forward and wrapping his arms around Kurt with his head resting on Kurt's shoulder still looking forward. Kurt leaned a little back into Blaine, who by now had turned him around.

" I really did miss you…and I wanted to say sorry"

Kurt just looked at him a little pensively.

"I wanted to say sorry for not going with you this weekend, and for being a little distant with you, I just thought about things when you were away, and all I could feel was how much I wanted to be with you …" he lowered his eyes as he spoke, ever so slightly.

" I missed you so much too, you know…..thank you for this" Kurt said motioning to the display in front of him.

Blaine suddenly gained his composure. " Oven" he commanded himself and went to switch the oven on.

" Wine " Blaine continued a little more gently and went to retrieve a bottle that he had put into the fridge earlier to chill.

Blaine poured the wine out into two glasses and Kurt leaned against the counter in the kitchen area watching Blaine dart about making finishing touches to what it was he had prepared. They chatted about Kurt's trip and how Kurt had spent time with his dad in the garage working on cars a little and had done some baking with Carole and had helped with the cooking a lot. He also had made time see his friend from High School Mercedes, she lived nearby and they had gone to the Mall together. He told Blaine how he had seen some students from his old school Dalton Academy at the Mall just hanging out and how they looked preppy as ever. Blaine just laughed.

" So what is this then " asked Kurt looking at the dish in front of him excitedly after they sat down by the table to eat and Blaine had lit the candles in the tea lighters.

" Curry, it's a lamb curry, I got the idea from Cooper, when I was at his place yesterday, you know he has more cook books than the public library and I borrowed one…"

" That's very adventurous " Kurt commented as he peered at the dish a little more. He tried to make it sound like a compliment rather than anything obviously negative.

They both began to eat. Kurt did his best to try and swallow the food in his mouth but it was so dry he had to keep gulping glasses of water and it was way too spicy, Kurt loved spicy food but this was making his eyes literally water. Blaine didn't seem to be having much of a better time either.

" You don't have to eat this …" Blaine offered, looking at the food with a look of both disgust and dejection.

He got up to take his plate and walked over to Kurt's side to collect his. There was no point in pretending that it was anything other than awful.

" Oh, you tried sweet heart and all this is so sweet" Kurt offered gently," how about we heat up some of the food Carole made for us, she packed a mushroom lasagne ? "

After finishing a portion of lasagne each, Blaine perked up a bit and announced that he had made a dessert too. Kurt was hoping that this was going to be more successful than the curry and that Blaine hadn't tried his hand at baking.

Blaine went over to the counter and started shuffling around with packages, deliberately keeping his back turned on Kurt so that he would not see what he was doing, he emerged with two cupcakes, drowning in sprinkles…." The sprinkles are my addition " he said presenting the brightly speckled mounds to Kurt.

"Well they look more than wonderful" Kurt said pulling Blaine down further as the leaned to put the plate in front of him, and kissing him on the lips. Blaine kissed him back, it was a full soft warm kiss, he began pulling Kurt from his chair and carried on kissing him, gently playing with Kurt's hair as he did so, Kurt had wrapped his arms around Blaine's waist. They both fumbled their way over to the couch still kissing until Blaine had positioned himself on Kurt. Neither spoke, and just let their kisses get deeper and more absorbing. For a moment Blaine could feel that creeping sensation of wanting to stop of wanting to not get carried away, but the feeling of wanting to feel and touch Kurt was greater. All he could feel and want was the warmth and smell of Kurt.

A cell phone began ringing in the room, it was Blaine's. Kurt whispered " no" in a voice that was almost pleading and filled with sadness. His eyes looked a Blaine with a hint of begging and pain. It was such a long time since they had allowed each other to get lost in the other's touch and after that conversation in the Hamptons where Blaine had said he needed more time to get over their fight before he could make love with Kurt, Kurt hadn't tried to initiate anything. Blaine paused for a very brief moment, and reached to find his phone in his pocket, he went back to kissing Kurt and with one hand switched the phone off, tossing it idly back on to the table. Blaine could feel Kurt's smile forming beneath his lips and his body relax. A few moments later and Blaine was pulling Kurt up with him from the sofa. " Bed" he mumbled against Kurt's lips, and still entwined with each other they stumbled to their bed room. Kurt couldn't help but notice the flowers on the dresser and wondered for just a moment whether Blaine had planned this all along, feeling a warm happy inside as he did so.

They tumbled on to the bed, Kurt now hovering above Blaine and kissing him ardently. He began tugging at Blaine's shirt but for a moment stopped to just look at him, as though asking permission, he just didn't want Blaine to make some excuse to stop, he wasn't sure if he could cope with that feeling of rejection again. Blaine looked back at him with wide eyes and pulled Kurt towards him kissing him fiercely but creating enough space to start undoing the buttons on Kurt's shirt.

They lay together sweaty and calm. Blaine on his back and Kurt lying beside him, the front of his chest draped diagonally against Blaine with his head lying against Blaine's chest. Neither of them was asleep but they both lay there not speaking, savouring the warmth of each other. Blaine was playing with Kurt's hair and letting it fall through his fingers. He leaned forward and kissed Kurt on the top of his head smelling the fresh scent of Kurt's hair shampoo as he did so. Kurt moved slightly propping himself on his elbows to look at Blaine but again not speaking at first. Before Kurt could say anything Blaine had reached forward and brushed his thumb against the profile of Kurt's cheek. " You are so precious to me"

Kurt looked at him, and leaned towards him to kiss him softly again. The moment was interrupted by a tummy rumble both looked at each other with mock accusation. Then without a word, Kurt got out of the bed and making an exaggerated flirty wiggle left the bed room, only to return with the two cupcakes that had been left from earlier.

" I thought we weren't allowed to eat in bed…" queried Blaine.

" These are an exception " Kurt handed Blaine both plates as he got back into bed. He took his plate back, and swirled his finger in the frosting that had got just a little firmer and began eating it from his finger, taunting Blaine as he did so. Blaine wasn't sure whether that small gesture of Kurt's was innocent or not. Blaine took a piece from his cake and watched Kurt do the same although Kurt now swirled the frosting around lips with his tongue. They were both now silently fixing on each other as they ate. Kurt took the last remaining frosting with his finger and dragged it between his lips slowly doing his best not to grin broadly at the same time. That was enough, Blaine pulled him forward , taking Kurt's plate and his own and putting them down by the side of the bed while he pulled Kurt on top of him and began kissing Kurt again, tasting the vanilla frosting left in his mouth.

**Dear Readers, it doesn't end there, things move a little more quickly in the next chapters and are a bit more lively…we see Kurt at School and a different side to Blaine….**

**Please review, especially as it's been raining non-stop in the UK for weeks…and I need something to cheer me up xx**


	20. Chapter 20

**Dear Readers**

**Sorry for the delay in posting, a few technical issues got in the way, so here is the first part of chapter 20 with the second part to follow probably on Monday...**

**Chapter 20 pt 1**

Kut had got back into the routine of being back at school. To some extent he was glad the summer was over and he had something to focus again on and didn't have hours to kill each day, although he had always tried to fill that time the best that he could. He had begun working as part of the team putting on a school production of " Alice in Wonderland" . There were quite a few scripts available for a stage version and he had adapted one of the existing versions, using the script as a base and adding and adapting bits as he went along. It had taken him endless hours at lunch and during the evenings but it was a project that he really wanted to do. It was good to be getting involved in something other than just strictly classroom teaching, he loved writing, and working in the theatre. He had read parts of the script to to Blaine each evening to get his ideas and approval. Occassionally, they would act out sections other times Kurt would play each part himself putting on different voices. They had had some playful evenings doing that together which would usually end in Blaine laughing and telling Kurt he was adorable. Kurt would then get a little haughty, protest a little and say that this was meant to be serious, and that Blaine was there to provide him with feed back not to look at him cutely, but before long, Kurt had to admit that " Alice" was really not really so serious at all.

Kurt was reading Blaine a few lines from the Cheshire cat and Blaine was leaning over the counter while Kurt did so, wooden spoon in hand as he co-ordinated reading the lines and prodding at a pot which contained a ragu sauce for their dinner, when his phone rang.

" Kurt here" he said picking up the phone a little annoyed to be interrupted mid flow, and putting the spoon down.

" Oh hi Tom, just going over some of that now, actually.." he carried on talking to Tom while Blaine began to read through the script that Kurt had left on the counter, the call continued and he put the script down and began tidying things up slightly huffily. He was doing his best not to actively listen to the conversation but all the time Blaine found himself trying to work out what " Tom " was saying. He looked at his watch, it was 7.30pm and he wondered what this Tom guy was doing calling his boyfriend at 7.30pm in the evening.

Kurt ended the call, telling Tom that they'd discuss things over lunch the next day. He put his phone down and went to Blaine who had moved to the sofa and was fumbling for a TV control, trying to pretend that he wasn't even a little bit riled by the conversation.

" Hey, " said Kurt, gently taking the TV control from Blaine's hand and linking hands with him firmly and planting a kiss on his temple " tell me about your day while I finish dinner, I think we've had enough about Alice.." that small gesture seemed to be enough to bring Blaine out of his grumpiness and he followed Kurt back to the Kitchen area.

Kurt returned prodding the ragu with the spoon and Blaine just continued to look at him some more before he finally spoke.

" Who was the call from "

" Tom, he's a new English teacher at the school, working on the play as well, we've sort of split some of it up and he's writing some sections and I do others. He's a good writer really, he has written some articles for magazines in his spare time..he's written some good stuff" Kurt's voice trailed off as he could see Blaine tense a little.

" Oh, good.." Blaine said unconvincingly.

"Blaine ?"

"Nothing…. what"

"Not nothing…. what's up ?" Kurt said soothingly before he continued.."he doesn't have gorgeous boyfriend to test the script on so he trys it out on this wife, but she was out this evening and he was baby sitting their daughter, so he could only call after she had been put to bed… he just wanted to see how the section I was writing was going to fit in with his bit, so we'll do that tomorrow over lunch in the staff room.."

"Oh...he's married" said Blaine breathing out a little.

"Oh...he's married " replied Kurt echoing Blaine and leaning forward so their faces were almost touching.

" Kiss me silly " he said staring at Blaine, who could do nothing else but oblige.

* * *

><p>"So why exactly are we here then? Blaine was beside Kurt at a Manhattan gallery and looking at Kurt who in turn was looking at a picture entiled " Awakened Spirit" . It was what looked like a fairly random collection of bright blues of different shades with splatters of gold.<p>

" Seriously, who'd pay 900 dollars for that " Blaine asked incredulously.

Kurt sighed, his moment of tranqulity passing. " Well, in answer to your questions, we are here because I actually like art and we are helping Cooper and two, yes, someone would pay 900 dollars… you could go and get some drinks if you are bored.." he said turning to face Blaine.

" Sure " replied Blaine a little sulkily.

Two weeks earlier, Cooper had invited them both to the preview of an "affordable art fair". Kurt had lept at the opportunity. Cooper had wanted his advice in helping him pick something out for the apartment. Blaine was not one for art and still less one for galleries. He had gone because he hadn't seen his brother in a while and Kurt was practically whooping with enthusiasm when Blaine had relayed the invitation. And now here they were at a swanky mid town gallery that had "loaned" it's wall to a mass of struggling artists and final year college students. Cooper had brought along his current girlfriend, Chloe. Blaine and Kurt had met her for the first time that evening. She was slim, taller than Blaine and shorter than Cooper with dark hair that floated mid way down her back. Kurt liked her, she was warm and funny and very natural. Cooper had in the past a tendancy to date very attractive girls who were more concerned with their looks than being interesting people. Chloe seemed different, granted she was very pretty, she couldn't help that but she was genuinely interested in what other people had to say and was relaxed and funny and Kurt hoped that she would last more than the average three months that most of Cooper's relationships lasted. She also had great dress sense, and Kurt was already mentally planning shopping trips and helping her choose outfits.

Kurt continued to look around the gallery, a set of landscapes had caught his eye, they were all pictures of the same scene but painted at different times of the year. He moved to stand in front of them and look at them. There was something about looking at paintings that took Kurt to a quiet place in his mind where all the noise of the world around him would sit still just for a moment. During the holidays he often went to the galleries on his own, he relished that time to just look quietly. Kurt wasn't a religious person but he often thought this was probably the same sort of feeling people found when they went to a church.

Blaine had found his brother and Chloe at the bar. " I think I have been banished to the bar for being a philistine…" He commented as he joined the pair, and offered to buy some drinks.

" Is Kurt finding something for me then ?" Cooper said greeting his brother.

" Well I haven't seen anything here that I would want on the walls in our apartment so I hope he is looking for you …"

" Kurt, just has really good taste, he's just really good at putting things together.." Cooper explained to Chloe.

" When we were living at our first apartment, which was like a hovel to be honest, Kurt just turned it around with a couple of cans of paint and a few trips to a flea market…I was a bit horrified at first when I saw the stuff he'd brought back because it looked like, well junk but then Kurt spent hours cleaning all this stuff up and changing bits of it…he's the arty creative one" Blaine explained to Chloe.

" Their apartment is gorgeous…" added Cooper.

Blaine flushed slightly, he loved the way that Kurt had decorated their apartment but that over time he had rather taken for granted, hearing his brother tell Chloe reminded him how Kurt had put everything together . Now and then he would suggest something new or a change and Kurt would mull it over and gently introduce a new idea which Blaine would in evitably just like more. He felt quite flattered by Cooper's comment.

" I'm not sure about gorgeous but we both really like it… you should come around sometime." He added warmly and then felt a little awkard as he wasn't entirely sure whether Chloe would be around long enough to be able to accept an invitation. " we'll do that " added Cooper ,assuringly.

Kurt was making his way around the gallery and was now looking at a set of still life paintings based on what looked like worn out shoes. " I think that's a bit art school" said a voice behind him. Kurt looked to where the voice was coming from and his gaze caught a well groomed man in his early forties. " I suppose it is a bit clichéd" Kurt added. They both stood with their eyes focussed on the picture in front of them.

" I noticed you were looking at the collection of landscapes over there" the stranger commented.

" Oh yes I really liked those, I loved the idea of exactly the same scene and the passing of time…they are a bit beyond budget though, you'd have to buy the whole set to get the effect and I doubt the artist would even agree to sell them one by one anyway.

"Hmm, most of the people who come to these things come for the social thing, wine, eat a few canapés, which is great in a way because it means that the art section is actually not that busy.."

I think that's my boyfriend and his brother who you are describing.." Kurt added.

" Are you looking to buy something ?" Kurt asked politely turning to face the stranger. It was the first time that he noticed how well dressed the man was. He was wearing a mid blue suit crisp white shirt with a red polka dot silk square peeking from the pocket of his jacket. He had dark hair that was slightly gelled and shiny and deep blue eyes. They continued to talk about other pieces at the exhibition and other good exhibitions that had opened recently.

" I'm Greg by the way, Greg Rees"

" Kurt Hummel" replied Kurt offering his hand to shake.

" I collect art, well I mean I have a few pieces of orginal art and this is a good way of picking up a bit of bargain…well compared to what art can cost" An assistant from the gallery came up to him and discreetly gave him a card ." Thank you" he said to the assistant before turning back to Kurt. " Do you collect ?"

"Kurt " said a voice a little brusquely, approaching him.

Kurt turned to find Blaine standing next to him. He looked, not quite angry but more nervous.

"I wondered where you got to.." Blaine continued his voice betraying a hint of anxiousness and a little annoyance.

" This is Greg Rees, we were just chatting about some of the pictures we liked" Kurt said quite calmly and gently as he moved towards Blaine and stood closer to him so that they were almost touching

"Greg, this is my boyfriend who I mentioned, Blaine Anderson" he added, slipping his arm around Blaine's waist.

Blaine's demeanour softened immediately when he felt the warmth of Kurt's arm and the gentleness in his voice.

"Hi, did you see anything you liked Greg" Blaine asked, a little nervously. Kurt's arm remained around his waist.

" I don't think I have the same eye for art that Kurt does…." Replied Greg, Kurt could feel Blaine stiffen a little at the compliment. There was a brief pause before Kurt spoke again, tugging Blaine everso slightly closer to him.

"It was nice to talk you Greg, we need to go and join Blaine's brother who we were meant to be helping choose something for this apartment, I hope you find something you like here…I am going to try and persuade him to take the landscapes.."

" Ah you may be a little late for the landscapes, nice meeting you both" Greg added politely…"Those landscapes will go to a good home though" Greg opened his hand to show a ticket in his hand with the number of the paintings printed on it… "

Kurt looked surprised, he must have bought them soon after Kurt had moved away from looking at them" Enjoy" said Kurt smiling as he linked hands with Blaine and headed back to the bar.

**Part 2 will follow shortly...hope you enjoyed, please review...xx**


	21. Chapter 20 part 2

**Dear Readers, **

**This is the second part of the last chapter and starts immediately after, in the gallery. It's a short chapter to wrap up a little issue that's hanging between Kurt and Blaine...xx**

They reached the bar at the far end of the gallery where Chole and Cooper were rapt in conversation and joined them. Kurt resting his hand in the small of Blaine's back, guiding him into place.

" Any thing you think I should get then?" Cooper asked Kurt as he turned around, cocktail glass in hand and noticing that the pair standing by him.

" Yes, but it's been sold, we'll have to be quicker next time" Kurt commented, still with his hand touching Blaine warmly. Blaine stood quietly and his brother looked at him momentarily, a little puzzled, before suggesting that they all go for dinner. The mood was a little awkward, Blaine was uncharacteristically subdued and didn't respond to Cooper, turning to face Kurt, with a look that said " can we just go home please?". Kurt thanked Cooper but suggested they go their separate ways, making an excuse that he had to get into School early the following morning and also they didn't want to be gooseberries. Cooper commented that he'd been their gooseberry for years and four made it a double date. Blaine nodded gently in agreement to Kurt when Kurt said their good byes, and both hugged Cooper and kissed Chole on the cheek as they left.

It was a cool night, summer was slipping into autumn quickly and both were wearing light coats. Kurt instinctively found Blaine's hand and held it firmly. There was a silence between them.

" Sorry " said Blaine as they walked along the quiet street from the Gallery, looking at the street.

" It's ok " replied Kurt, softly. They both knew precisely what they were talking about no one needed to say it out loud just then.

" It's not really, you don't deserve me behaving like a jerk"

" You weren't "

" I was ..."

"Well may be just a little one, but it's fine, I don't think anyone noticed...I think you might have got away with it.." Kurt replied trying to lighten the mood a little. He hated to see Blaine with his mood flat and the sparkle gone.

" Hmm, I think Cooper thought we might have had a fight... Are we walking back ?" Blaine asked as they both failed to slow down as they approached the entrance to the subway.

" See how far we get and if we want to, get a taxi, walk and talk ?"

Blaine nodded.

" It's not okay with me you know, I don't want to be that guy that is rude and snarky for no reason other than what's going on in my head.." Blaine said as they carried on walking.

" I know you don't and you're not...I'd tell you if you were... and I don't want anything going on in your head that you won't let me share with you " replied Kurt rubbing his fingers over Blaine's hand as he spoke. " So, do you want to tell me then ?" They had reached the edge of Bryant park, where they had met for lunches earlier in the summer. It was a place that they both loved and felt comfortable in, even now when most of the park was in darkness with the hum of the city around them. Instinctively, Kurt had begun to walk slower and was now stopping to face Blaine. He still held Blaine's hand but with this other he rubbed down the side Blaine's arm in a firm comforting motion, urging Blaine to speak.

Blaine sighed. " I don't really, because it's so stupid, and it will sound even more stupid if I say it out loud..."

"Try, it won't and besides, Blaine, I think I can really outplay you on stupid things going on in my head most of the time, just tell me.."

" Ok...I saw you talking to that guy, Greg at the gallery and I found myself almost watching you from the bar, and you're just being yourself and I could see him, he's not leaving you and he looks all inquisitive and interested in what you are saying and it just annoys me. It didn't help that he was good looking and rich but, I don't even think that mattered, I just was jealous that he was there with you talking about something that I couldn't, and he had your attention. I feel, I don't know, sort of tense and angry but I can't really see why or where it is coming from...well, I do, but that's in the past. So before I know it I am walking over to you and acting like your dad or something, and then just feeling embarrassed and stupid.."

Blaine drew breathe and Kurt made no attempt to fill the silence, guessing that Blaine hadn't finished what he was saying.

"Greg, must have wondered what on earth you were doing with some mad possessive idiot ...And the other evening when you had a call from that teacher and you were both chatting about the play at School and making what I thought were some plans for a lunch or something, the moment I heard you talking to him, my mind was in over drive and I had just to go and distract myself before I just said something really dumb. You shouldn't have to explain everything to me...I just think that the same thing will happen like before, with James. And it's stupid because it wasn't your fault and then I get angry with my self for even thinking that way because it is so unfair on you. Then sometimes if you mention the name of a guy in almost any context, Christ, even Taylor Lautner last week, I just shut myself off from what you are saying because all I can hear is the person's name and I feel all vexed"

Kurt nodded.

" I sort of guessed that, but I wanted you to tell me so that I could be sure, and I sort of thought that James was the reason why, I'm sorry Blaine, I'm sorry for making you feel this way..."

"Its not you making me feel this way it's me, you can't keep saying sorry to me, , when you were talking to that guy Greg I was sort of angry with you for being all the things that people love about you, that I love about you most, bright and funny and sparkly. And I felt so stupid when I marched over to you and the first thing you do is touch me and introduce me. "

" I did that because I am proud to be with you, a although I think this is probably not the point but I am pretty sure Greg is on a different team anyway" said Kurt trying to soften the mood a little.

" I can understand why you feel the way you do, and honey it will pass, I promise you because I won't let it stay, I won't give you any reason to feel unhappy or insecure or that I would ever get into that situation that I got in with James again...we don't have to explain everything from each other, but I don't want to keep things from you, I want us both feel comfortable...I like telling you what's going on in my day, and who I spend time with and what I am doing, not because I have to, or I feel that I am checking in with you, but because I want to share those details with you...you can tell me when I am getting boring.."

"I suppose you can't help having people who always want to be around you.. You'll always have people fawning around, it's that combination of sassy and innocence that does it..."

" Well, I am not quite so niave any more, if I have a feeling about something that doesn't feel right, then I'll do something about it or I'll talk to you, if I may ?" Blaine nodded at this point. " I'd never do anything to let something or someone come between us like that, I'd never be stupid enough to hurt you like that, to hurt us like that."

Blaine was beginning to smile, he felt relieved that all the anxiousness that he was holding in him was beginning to dissolve on hearing what Kurt had to say.

" The thing is though…" Kurt said a little flirtatiously,

" Yeees" Blaine drew out the word.

" I sort of like a little bit of green eyed Blaine…it's sort of sexy"

Blaine laughed a little, rolling his eyes at the same time.

"Sassy innocence ?" Kurt queried, carrying on in the same mood.

" While I should add, "Beautiful" but that goes without say"

" Where do you get this stuff from ?" said Kurt linking hands with Blaine again and pulling him along firmly

**OK, I think we've had enough angst, a bit of fluffiness for my next chapter I think...please review, xx**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21...

" So, shall I get wine, cupcakes or flowers for this dinner then?" Kurt asked leaning over Blaine who was seated on the sofa.

" Err why so many choices?" Blaine responded.

' It's the first time in ages that someone has actually invited us to a dinner that they have made, and practically no one does that in my school" replied Kurt, referring to the dinner invitation from his colleague Tom.

" Well wine is traditional.." Kurt continued.

Blaine nodded to show that he was listening, when really he was a bit more interested in playing with his ipad.

" flowers would be a nice touch for Lucy " Kurt continued

" Lucy ?" Blaine's eyes were still on the ipad.

" Tom's wife"

Blaine nodded again.

" Cupcakes would be nice for their daughter.."

"Hmm" Blaine really wasn't focussed at all now on what Kurt had to say.

" So, what do I get ?"

" Any…all of them if you like"

" Urgh, you've not listened to anything, if we get all of them it will look showy"

" I have " Blaine lied.

Blaine relented and put down the ipad and turned to face Kurt from where he was sitting on the sofa.

" Flowers and wine – his wife might have decided on a dessert, their daughter is not eating with us ..."

" She might be "

" At 8.00pm ? we never ate with our parent's guests when we were little, please don't tell me that we have to sit there for hours listening to stories about their child's ballet classes... "

" I don't know...I can't exactly ask Tom, he seems quite homely so may be.. Wine and flowers it is then, it will show that we have also appreciated the effort is wife has put into cooking the dinner, what do you think?"

Blaine groaned and raised his eyes to the ceiling..

" Bring two bottles of wine and the flowers...and if we do get trapped into listening to Baby talk then we're leaving early.."

" Blaine be nice, Tom's nice and I bet his wife will be too..."

Blaine quietly grumbled a bit more turning back to his ipad.

Tom had a three year old daughter and it was expensive and difficult to find reliable baby sitters so they tended to invite people over to dinner rather than meeting friends in restaurants. Kurt liked Tom, he was in his mid thirties, was funny and easy going and a good teacher who like Kurt was always interested in his pupils well being. They were working on the play together and had got to know each other better through that. They lived in the suburbs of New York, it was quite a commute each day for Tom, but it meant that they could afford a larger home with more space.

It wasn't that Blaine resented meeting Kurt's friend but that he didn't really like leaving Manhattan unless it was for a pretty good reason. Potentially having dinner with a three year old and her parents was not in Blaine's mind a good reason to waste a Saturday night in Manhattan.

Kurt had offered to be the designated driver so Blaine could drink, and Blaine was pretty sure that he would need to drink.

They reached Tom and Lucy's home after about 40 minutes driving it took them a lot less time than they thought. Blaine had driven there, and had used the drive out of Manhattan as a good chance to get a bit of speed on what he thought was going to be a tame evening by any standards. They had sat in the car for a short while and thought about going to a coffee shop to kill a bit more time, but this was a very residential neighbourhood and there didn't seem to be many or even any.

They decided it was probably alright to arrive 15 minutes early. Tom invited them both into the bright and airy house. Lucy was no where to be seen, and Kurt suspected she was in the kitchen preparing dinner. A small blonde child in a brightly coloured pair of pjaymas was playing with an ipad quietly on the sofa.

Kurt, nudged Blaine quietly whispering " Don't get jealous of her toy now.."

Blaine gave him a quick snipe of a look back and greeted Tom, who in turn thanked them for the wine and flowers. He quickly moved to get some glasses and poured them all a drink and gestured for them to sit on the sofa.

Kurt shuffled places so leaving Blaine having to sit next to the small child, Blaine gave him another steer. The child introduced herself as Amy and carried on back to looking at the ipad.

"I'm sorry" Tom began apologising. "We haven't managed to teach her that it's rude to ignore guests...but we will" he said jokingly.

"Sorry " replied Amy "Here's a picture" she said showing Blaine the screen, shoving it into his lap and taking him quite by surprise.

He was taken a little off guard but was intrigued to see the picture.

"Amy, you are going to go upstairs to bed aren't you...Blaine has had a long drive and..."

Before he could finish, Blaine was peering at the ipad with Amy and making wiggles with his fingers on the screen.

" Ok, ten minutes more young lady..." said Tom, and both Blaine and Amy looked at him with eyes that were willing to negotiate.

A very pretty women with thick blonde hair and a slinky figure hugging dress green dress descended the stairs slowly in a very high pair of patent cream shoes. For some reason this was not what Kurt had been expecting from the checked shirt, courdroy wearing Tom. She positively reaked glamour. Her lips were painted a bright vivid red which seemed to make her blue eyes even a deeper colour. She held out a manicured hand to Kurt and Blaine and then wrapped it around her glass, before getting up to disappear into the kitchen re-emerging a few minutes later with a bottle of champagne, which she carried casually from the neck, it made it look like she drinked champagne the way other people drink beer.

" I am so glad you've come out to see us.." she said, wrestling with the cork in the bottle. " We must celebrate" Kurt just sat looking at Lucy with wide eyes which followed her round the room. Blaine was looking at him a little incredulously as Kurt stared at Lucy, before turning back to Amy who he was talking to like a long lost friend, except one that he was tickling every now and then.

" You've got a fan there" said Lucy looking at the pair.." She's got an eye for the handsome ones...Tom's brother was over here last week and he hardly got a nod from her.."

Tom looked a little sheepish. " He's not great with children..."

" Or " Lucy was about to continue but at that moment the cork popped and she began pouring the champagne out into the flutes. She was laughing a little as the drink bubbled over the side of the glasses.

" Can I have some ?" asked Amy looking up, all eye lashes fluttering.

Kurt thought she had probably got that look from her mother who was handing out the glasses with her long lithe arms. "You may have a lick from my finger" she said popping her finger into her glass, shaking the excess champagne off, and everso quickly wiping off more by stroking the palm of her hand.

Amy liked her mother's finger and said " Nice"

" And now you are going to let that nice young man that you have attached yourself to drink his own glass...up to bed" There was something gentle and commanding about Lucy's voice. Resigning, she handed Blaine her ipad and put her arms out for a hug from him. No one in the room could not say "ah".

" She must love you, a hug and she's left you with guardianship of her ipad" said Tom picking up his daughter and carrying her upstairs.

" To us, and to our new friends " said Lucy hoisting her glass into the middle of the room, Kurt quickly jumped up to clink his glass with hers.

"It's very kind of you to invite us" said Kurt, he could not keep the feeling of awe from his voice.

"Well" said Lucy, glancing up to the stairs to check if her husband was about to return. " Tom usually invites people over and normally they are less than ...she paused to think of a word, "colourful" most of the time it's like having dinner with in laws, but he described you Kurt, and I thought, this guy sounds fascinating and interesting and I thought we must have you over...I think Tom thought he didn't know you well enough and it might be too much, but I insisted...it's so boring being so far from Manhattan..and here you both are, and I am so glad" She reached forward and squeezed Kurt's hand.

Tom returned to the room. And they talked some more. It was apparent that the evening would pan out as follows. Lucy would talk and Kurt would be held in rapture. Blaine would try and speak to Tom who most of the time seemed a little left out of the conversation but a little happy in his own world at the same time.

After about 30 minutes, Lucy looked at Tom and said " Shall we eat?" was it a query or was it a question ? thought Blaine. " I will just check" said Tom leaving the room to go to the kitchen. While they carried on talking he set out the appertisers on the dining table behind them.

" Tom's the cook...I'm afraid I have tried and I am really not much good at it, so I leave things to him, but I do make dessert...that I can do" she winked at Kurt, and Blaine had to do his best to hide a chuckle.

" Kurt is the cook for us, but I can't even make dessert..." Blaine said, looking at his boyfriend fondly, he found Kurt's developing crush on Lucy really quite cute.

" Not true..." said Kurt, correcting his voice which came out a little childishly.

" Blaine can make dessert, he made wonderful cupcakes a few weeks back, didn't you " There was a hint of teasing in Kurt's voice but only just enough that Blaine would pick up on it. Blaine coughed a little. " I er, I just decorated them really.." Kurt gave Blaine a cheeky smile and gently squeezed his hand.

Tom was busy ferrying things from the kitchen. Nancy was resting her elbows on the table and resting her chin on hands. She looked even more beautiful that way, Kurt couldn't help but notice " This looks wonderful Tom" she said..."What have you made for us ?"

Blaine was looking at the scene feeling removed from it, Tom was now assuming the role of some sort of domestic surf, Lucy was behaving like a guest who happened to just have dropped by on her way to a cocktail party in a mansion with views over Central Park and his boyfriend was, for want of a better word smitten by her.

" Your home looks beautiful" said Kurt looking around and then turning his focus back to Lucy. "Ah that is my department, I do the chosing for our home" She said softly. Tom was nodding at his end of the table smiling as he began offering the dishes around. " I read all the interior design magazines each month and scrap book ideas..Amy likes helping with that" the mention of Amy brought Blaine back to the conversation. They chatted on amiably. Lucy constantly offering Kurt and Blaine more wine, Blaine had offered to swap with Kurt as the designated driver after the first glass of champagne when he realised that Kurt would have a difficulty saying " No" to anything that Lucy offered or suggested. Kurt and Lucy both had began laughing and giggling at almost the mention of anyting.

Tom looked on at his wife fondly. She began clapping her hands " Dessert !" she said leaving the table abruptly to return with a very heavy looking cheese cake on a cake stand. They all watched this very perfectly made up women in her towering heels balance the cake in one hand and carrying the cake knife like a weapon in the other. When Kurt saw it was cheese cake he let out a small squeal, which left Blaine wanting to kiss him it was so adorable. Kurt blushed a little as he felt Blaine's hand squeeze his thigh.

"Where do you live in Manhattan ?...Tom told me you live in Mahattan, I am so envious " said Lucy, who was now verging on hacking through the cake and setting enormous slices onto plates which Tom had brought out..." No one dieting I hope " she said before either could reply. Blaine answered, with the hope of drawing Tom and possibly himself back into the conversation " We love Manhattan too...I am not sure I can imagine living anywhere else really.."

"We had to move when I stopped working, Manhattan is so expensive, I don't know if you knew but I did a bit of work but it was always so difficult getting baby sitters and for bookings you hardly ever get any notice and you don't know when you can get back...when Amy's at school, I'll tell my agency I can take on more jobs.." For the first time that evening, Lucy sounded just a little sad, the sparkle subdued for a moment. Kurt did his best to lift things again. " Well you should come over, may be we could just have a night on the town, if you could get a baby sitter for one night?"

Tom looked a bit uneasy at this point, and then for what seemed like the first time that evening actually interjected. " Lucy began as a teacher, we met at teaching school, but then she became a model..." In that moment, Blaine felt quite sorry for Tom, he didn't really know why, but he had clearly not been entirely comfortable with telling the whole story to Kurt, and Kurt clearly picked up on it too, as he did his best to hold back a look of surprise. The truth was that Tom had got a women that to the outside world was not in his league, but in return she had got a husband who simply worshipped her.

" I knew I would like you " continued Lucy ignoring Tom's comment " most of the people we know have children and they really do invite us to the dullest things...what was it we got invited to the other day? A school bake afternoon, God, I felt so depressed just reading that invite...really we don't want to become one of those couples that doesn't have its own social life but just feeds off their children's, so dull, please tell me that if you have children you won't become like that"

Kurt looked suddenly a little awkward. " I can't really see that happening" Blaine replied a little ambiguously.

"Oh, do you want to have children ?" Lucy didn't seem to have a filter for personal questions.

"May be…" replied Kurt sounding a little uncertain. But Blaine was responding to the same question and nodding to say "We do". Kurt looked to the side of him and smiled back at Blaine.

" Would anyone like more cake ?" Said Tom, knowing he could not trust his wife not to continue probing their guests.

They left much later than they had expected to do so that evening and a very sleepy and drunk Kurt was nuzzling into Blaine's shoulder as he drove back. Blaine had one hand on the wheel, the other pressed against Kurt's leg.

" Well, that was an interesting evening..."

" They're really nice..." Kurt said slightly slurring.

" Gosh, Kurt " They" I thought there was only one person in the room for you..."

" You ?" said Kurt, trying to play just a little bit innocent and sitting slightly more up right.

" Yes, sweet heart...nice try" said Blaine quickly kissing the top of Kurt's head.

" Tom and Lucy...are really nice.." said Kurt, purposefully.

" Was Tom even there Kurt ? I think you have a little girl crush don't you ?"

" Nope, I don't know what you're talking about"

" Don't go all huffy on me..."

"Oh, sorry...you're not, you're not... I didn't mean to" He sounded a little more sober now, but he was still sounding a little slurry.

" Er, no Kurt, I am not jealous of you spending all evening eating from the palm of Lucy's hand.."

"Oh... "

"Oh " replied Blaine tugging Kurt towards him again, over the gap between the two seats and planting a kiss very firmly on his forehead " Sleep babe". He said gently.

It was 10.00 am when Kurt woke the next morning feeling a little groggy. He leaned over to find Blaine sleeping beside him, slightly stirring from Kurt's sudden movement in the bed. He leaned over Blaine, just peering over him and looking at him sleeping gently. Blaine's eyelid's flickered sensing someone was near him.

"Morning" said Kurt quietly.

" Shouldn't you still be asleep?" muttered Blaine, trying to find Kurt's hand to pull him back down so that he could sleep some more and pull Kurt closer in a sleepy cuddle.

"Nope…"

Blaine smiled and decided to ignore him so that he could get some more sleep.

"Hey, you took advantage of me last night.." Kurt was not giving up.

"Hmm…I did, didn't I ? that was good …" said Blaine smiling as the memory of him and Kurt crashing into their bedroom came back to him.

" I was drunk and you took advantage of me…" Kurt continued trying to sound a little indignant at the same time.

" And there's me thinking that you enjoyed it….you looked like you were enjoying it.. really enjoying it " Blaine was smirking broadly he realised that Kurt was not going to give up and he might as well resign himself to not getting any more sleep.

Kurt was pouting at him, Blaine leaned over and kissed him. " Good morning then…"

" I've said good morning already…"

" So you have, do you want me to make up for taking advantage of you then?, for which I am so not sorry, by the way…"

" How ?" asked Kurt flirtatiously

" Doing the same thing now you are sober?"

" Brush your teeth first ?"

Blaine shook his head getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom.

**Ok, I wanted a lighter chapter here, so I thought we'd see Kurt and Blaine with another couple, so there's a bit of contrast between the two couples. Hope you enjoy, please review...xx**


	23. Chapter 23

Dear Readers,

London has been swept in the Olympics and so have I. So I am now back on track and I hope that you enjoy this chapter.

Blaine padded across the room in his bare feet, he had just woken up and had a warm crumply look about him, soft marks from the pillow that he had slept on still marked his cheeks. He was wearing a t shirt and had put on a pair of checked sweats…

You're up early" he said making his way across to Kurt who was sitting at the table in their living room with his laptop. " Morning Sweetheart" said Kurt without looking around on hearing Blaine's foot steps.

" What are you doing ?" Blaine had crept up behind Kurt and was now gently kneading Kurt's shoulders as he looked over Kurt's shoulder to the laptop screen.

"It's the programme for Alice" He replied, reaching his hand behind him to hold on to Blaine's and tugging it forward so that Blaine could look at the screen. Blaine softly kissed Kurt on his cheek as he lowered to his level.

" The drawing is really good" said Blaine peering at the screen through sleepy eyes at the cover of the programme which was a colourful drawing of a laughing pack of cards with faces and wangly arms.

"It's by one of our 13 year olds" Kurt replied looking at the colourful drawing of the pack of cards with arms and legs. " We all really liked it"

" It looks great…." Blaine was focussing a bit more now.

"You've showered, you smell all clean and fresh, .." He said a little disappointed sniffing at Kurt. " So no pulling you back to bed then for a Saturday morning cuddle…"

" Blaine, focus on the programme please" Kurt reached and kissed Blaine's hand as he spoke.

" Ok" Blaine sniffed " Show me the next page" he said trying to be interested but at the same time thinking that this could really wait for later and disappointed that Kurt was washed and dressed.

Kurt obeyed. " I like it, it looks really great" Blaine said looking at the new page on the screen which listed the names of all the children taking part.

Suddenly Blaine noticed something on the programme and immediately felt uncomfortable, his posture stiffened and his voice sounded a little tense. " Oh, I better shower then …since we're not having a morning cuddle…" He left Kurt touching him lightly on the shoulder and headed off to the bathroom while Kurt continued working on the programme, not really noticing in any change in his boyfriend's mood or the slight change in his voice.

They spent of the rest of the day doing the mudane tasks that annoyingly clawed away at so much of their weekends, mainly cleaning and hovering and polishing, especially since Kurt refused to get a cleaner on the grounds that they could both do a far better job. Blaine knew that if they did get one, they would still have to clean before the cleaner arrived. He was working slowly on getting Kurt to change his mind.

The weather was dull and cool and they decided to spend the afternoon watching a movie. Kurt was lay on the sofa his back snuggled into Blaine who had wrapped his arms over Kurt's shoulders, Blaine was sitting upright and Kurt was lying across the sofa. They had a bowl of freshly made popcorn in front of them and Kurt was holding the TV control flicking through the programmes that they had recorded. " Funny Girl" he said questioningly.

"Funny girl it is" Blaine nodded resting his head into Kurt's hair as he spoke. They spent the afternoon, watching the film, snuggling a little and making sounds of appreciation at Omar Sherriff .. Kurt doing his best not to sing the songs too loudly.

Blaine nudged him gently, " Go on you know you want to " he said as Kurt was doing his best to stifle breaking into " Don't rain on my parade…"

Kurt huffed a little… and Blaine kissed his hair softly.

" I got you a seat next to Lucy by the way" said Kurt as he continued looking straight ahead doing his best to distract himself from singing.

"Hmm"

" For Alice…Blaine" continued Kurt , pronouncing Blaine's name a little heavily. " Lucy, Tom's wife, I thought you liked her and I thought that it was better than you sitting on your own or even worse next a parent…you'd have to make small talk with a parent"

"Oh…about that" Said Blaine hesitantly, his voice lowering and slightly shifting.

" About what ?" Said Kurt sitting upright in his seat picking up a change in mood which he knew was not going to be a good one.

Blaine hesitated and thought for a moment about just distracting the conversation along another route.

"Kurt, I sort have…I've messed up on my diary, I have client function on that day"

Kurt had scrambled down from his position cuddling into Blaine and was now sitting bolt upright on the sofa, he was biting his lip and looking at Blaine not saying anything, but his arms were folded now.

" I'm sorry…" Blaine added hoping that he would not have to finish the sentence and that Kurt was not going to be as mad as he thought he would be.

" Blaine…" said Kurt doing his best to calm the feeling of anger and disappointment which was creeping through him. He tried his hardest to keep his tone even.

" I'm sorry…" Blaine moved to stroke Kurt on his arm, but Kurt flinched away and got up from the sofa abruptly. He stood up now facing Blaine who was looking helpfless.

" I can't get out of it, I've invited some clients and I have to be there…I am really sorry, can't I see it another night"

" It's a school play Blaine, not Broadway, we don't do it for a week….there's just that one show"

Blaine looked down, not knowing what he could say that would make this any better.

" One night Blaine, all I asked you to do was to keep this one night free so that you could see the thing that I have been talking about and working on for the last three months…" Kurt's voice was breaking as he spoke, he was visably upset and his eyes were filling with tears.

"Kurt, I am really sorry, I know you have been working on this for ages…I can't ." Before he could finish speaking Kurt cut him off. There was no denying that he felt awful and even more so seeing Kurt looking so hurt and flushed.

" Blaine you can, you could if you wanted to, but in your scale this doesn't matter, it's only a crumby school play and you'd have to sit in a draughty school hall, a draught public school hall, whereas you could be with your rich business men clients in a swanky restaurant or whatever, choosing expensive bottles of wine and talking about where in Europe you are going on holiday and whether you have a summer house in the Hamptont…" Kurt's voice was rising, he wasn't exactly shouting but he really wasn't that far off.

" Kurt it's not like that I can't tell my boss that I can't make it now, I have invited my own clients no one else really knows them, it's not just about letting my boss down it's letting them down as well, it would be like inviting people to a party and not bothering to turn up myself.." His voice was steady and pleading.

Kurt got up from the sofa.

"but it's ok to let me down. I don't matter. It doesn't matter that this is practically the first thing that you have even said that you would go to, every sports day, quiz night, concert, you've never said you'd come to"

" I've been to your carol concerts" added Blaine a little lamely.

"Only because you actually like carols...fine Blaine, it's just fine" Kurt got up and left to go to their bedroom leaving Blaine alone on the sofa. He bowed his head to his knees and put his hands over his head sighing he deeply he knew that he had messed up and he knew that Kurt had a point. He never went to the things at school that Kurt invited him to. He hadn't really thought that it had mattered before, the things that Kurt had asked him to go to weren't things that Kurt seemed to have much involvement with so he didn't see a particular need to go. He hadn't been before because honestly it just felt boring to spend the evening in art exhibition, but if Kurt had organised the art exhibition than that would be a different matter.

The door opened from the bedroom a few minutes later and Kurt walked briskly past him.

" Where are you going.."

"Out.."

"Kurt, come on…" Blaine pleaded.

" For a walk…just a walk.." Kurt added quietly

With that Kurt walked out of the department closing the door firmly behind him.

When he got out side, Kurt felt the earlier anger from him drain. He was upset and he was trying his best to not literally walk down the street crying. He had asked Blaine to come to the play a month ago. He wondered in his mind if he was over exaggerating or making too big a deal of things, but he knew that if the tables were reversed he would not have forgotten a special event for Blaine, partly because he would have spent weeks planning what to wear. But as Kurt flipped the conversation over in his mind and he thought about what had been said, he realised that really he did most of the organising for both of them and that Blaine sounded genuinely sorry. He had told Tom and some of his close colleagues at the school that Blaine was going to be there and he just wanted to know that Blaine would be there in the audience watching the work that he had put together.

He walked a few blocks and decided to have a coffee and listen to music on his ipod which he had taken with him. He found a small coffee shop that he had often walked passed but for some reason had never been into and ordered his coffee and felt a little calmer after taking a few sips, yes he was disappointed and he was mad at Blaine but really it was Blaine being disorganised more than anything else.

Blaine sank back in the sofa putting the phone back down in its holder. He looked at this watch, Kurt had been out an hour. He looked at his phone and saw a message from, Kurt:

"Its me, just having a coffee, will be back in 30 minutes"

Blaine took this as a good sign, at least Kurt wasn't completely adverse to talking to him even if it was through text. He tapped out a reply and grabbing his jacket left the flat.

" Thanks babe. Xx"

Just over thirty minutes later, the door opened quietly and Kurt toed off his shoes in the hallway before softly walking into the living room. Blaine was on the sofa looking through a magazine distractedly.

" Kurt" he said gently.

" Hi " Kurt replied sheepishly and softly walked over to the bedroom, closing the door quietly but not slamming it or even trying to close it purposefully.

When Blaine gently tapped on the door and went in a few minutes later he found Kurt sitting staring at ahead but with his laptop open.

" Can I talk to you ?" Blaine asked softly. Kurt looked like he had been crying and Blaine felt guilt wash over him for knowing that he had made Kurt feel that way.

Kurt just nodded, and Blaine balanced himself at a spot on the bed, he reached out to gently brush Kurt on the shoulder, it was a tentative touch and he knew that was all that Kurt could allow right now.

"I am really sorry again for messing up" Blaine said again gently, hoping that Kurt would take his eyes away from the lap top and look and him.

" It's ok…I know you just messed up your diary that's all" Kurt stopped and looked up.

Blaine nodded before speaking again.

"Well, I have unmessed , I'm going to see your play"

Kurt shuffled on the bed turning to give Blaine his full attention and looked puzzled.

" I called my boss and told him I had another commitment and it couldn't be moved, and that I would invite my clients to lunch or something another day…"

" You didn't have to …. And if you don't want to be there then I would rather you weren't" He wasn't snappish or short, in fact his voice was hopeful and trying to conceal the smile that was going to creep on to his lips.

" I know, but I want to be at your play, and what you said was right my work event would be full of colourless businessmen and I would be mad choose that over being with you and watching your play, I always want to be at things that you do "

Kurt didn't say anything, feeling still a little grumpy but with that feeling evaporating very quickly.

Blaine tapped him on the knee and got up to leave.

He was in the kitchen wiping down dishes as he pulled them from the dishwasher.

"was your boss mad ?" said Kurt a smile creeping on to his lips a little as he walked into the kitchen area and leaning on the counter looking at Blaine.

" Hmm, not as bad as I thought he would be, but he might be just waiting to speak to me on Monday, actually may be calling him on a Saturday afternoon was not the best idea…" said Blaine turning to face him, his voice sounding lighter.

"So, I am making some coffee, can I get you some ?" Blaine added, turning to switch the coffee maker on.

" Thanks "

"I got this…peace offering" Blaine pushed a white box towards Kurt.

Kurt carefully opened the white box to find a perfectly sliced piece of cheesecake. He couldn't no matter as much as he tried stop his lips forming into a smile.

Blaine was now leaning beside Kurt looking with him at the cheesecake. He moved slowly up to kiss Kurt softly on the cheek.

Kurt turned and leaned over to gently kiss him back. Blaine move back to make the coffee and Kurt and him settled down with a fork each to tuck into the cheese cake. The mood had lifted and they began to joke a little about what would Blaine's boss say on Monday morning. Blaine had also asked Kurt for another pair of tickets to take Cooper and his girlfriend and Kurt was beginning to make suggestions about what Blaine might like to wear on that night. Blaine pulled him close, his mouth still moist with cheese cake and kissed him sloppily. " You taste lovely" giggled Kurt in return.

"Hmm " said Blaine, making an announcement. Kurt put his fork down decidedly on the plate.

" I am glad we did that…."

"What ?" said Kurt looking confused.

" Ok, I am not glad I messed up and upset you but I am glad we had a fight…" Blaine sounded confident as he addressed a more and more befuddled looking Kurt.

" Ok, you are officially crazy…"

" No, seriously Kurt" said Blaine correcting him, " We haven't had a fight in ages…"

"I am so missing the point to this, not slamming doors, crying and shouting at each other is in my world a good thing and I am sure our neighbours would also agree …but go on" he was back to attacking the remnants of cheese cake left on the plate.

" It's good, trust me Kurt this is good… since that prick…." Blaine had taken to referring to James by any derogatory name that he could think of. Kurt never mentioned the student who had tried to kiss him and caused the biggest fight that him and Blaine had ever had together.

" James…" Kurt corrected, hoping the conversation would move along away from James.

" Well since then we haven't had a fight…"

" And fighting is good because….I still don't think I am getting this Blaine" Kurt queried, still really not seeing the point

" Because we know if we fight it's just us fighting, it's nothing more than that…we're not breaking up.. we're not afraid to yell at each other and slam doors because that's all we are doing"

Kurt was staring at Blaine now. "Ok " continued Blaine sounding a bit matter of fact, " When you went out of here this afternoon, you sent me a text…"

" yes" nodded Kurt not really sure where this conversation was going.

" Why ?"

"I don't know, I didn't really think about it….erm I just didn't want you to worry I suppose, I thought you were upset too and I didn't want you to …I didn't want you to think that I wasn't coming back, I suppose" the penny slowly dropped and Kurt realised why, he knew all along but hadn't articulated it, even to himself. He knew that the last fight they had ended with Blaine moving to Cooper's for a few days and both of them wondering if their relationship would survive. He hadn't thought about it but all he needed was just some space from Blaine for an hour or two to try and see things and put things in perspective. Not once did he question that him and Blaine would sort things out.

"When did you get so touchy feely ?" He asked looking at Blaine with the look that Blaine knew was him asking to be kissed.

Blaine took the fork out of Kurt's hand and placed it on the counter, he heard the inner wince of Kurt as he saw the mucky splodgy of soft cheese cake on the counter. He gently pulled Kurt forward and hugged him tightly.

" I love you so much" said Kurt as he felt the warmth of Blaine around him. " I love you too " said Blaine, kissing Kurt's hair softly and then moving his head up to kiss him gently on his lips.

Please review ! – the next chapter is about the play and the plot jumps a gear then…xx


	24. Chapter 24

Now the Olympics and Paralympics re over you'll get more frequent updates. This is a happy chapter so I hope you enjoy. Thank you to all the followers and people who have reviewed, there's a lot of stories out there so I am really pleased that you are reading mine :))

**Chapter 24**

Where's Kurt ? Said Blaine as shuffled back to the table to take his place in the chair beside Chloe and noticed the empty space in front of him.

" He went outside, said he needed to get some air..." replied Chloe.

Blaine got up again "He left his jacket and it will be freezing outside" he sounded concerned, Chloe laughed a little and nudged Cooper who was concentrating on cutting his steak. " Sweet" she said, watching Blaine swoop to the other side of the table and pull Kurt's coat from the chair, taking his own at the same time.

When he got out side, he expected to see Kurt standing by the door way but he wasn't there. He stepped on to the pavement and looked around expectantly, shrugging his own jacket on and holding Kurt's. He noticed a figure standing in front of a shop a few metres down, it was Kurt. A few moments later he had draped Kurt's jacket around his shoulders and softly pressed his hand along Kurt's back.

" You'll freeze...are you feeling ok"

"Thank you " Kurt replied slipping his arms into his jacket and without turning around he reached to hold Blaine's hand, who clasped Kurt's tightly in return.

The street was very quiet, a few people were walking a long determinedly.

" I just wanted a bit of air..."

" Do you want to go ?" Blaine had suddenly relished the quietness of being outside compared to the noiseness of the restaurant.

" Go where ?" replied Kurt, his voice sounding lighter and he turned to Blaine.

"Oh" Blaine looked at his watch before continuing, "we could go dancing ? We could go for cocktails ? We could go back home and walk the way..." He had tugged his hand from Kurt's grasp and had wrapped one arm around Kurt's waist and the remaining he rested on Kurt's shoulder as he stood parallel to Kurt speaking his suggestions in a quiet voice against Kurt's cheek..."We don't even have to go back in there to say good by you know..." A smile was forming on Kurt's lips. " We could do all three of course...what do you say, we could get very drunk you know.." He was swaying Kurt a little now, gently dancing with him a little and Kurt was giggling lightly as he did so.

"What do you want to do...?" Asked Kurt in reply, still a little lost in his thoughts.

"I want to dance with you, get drunk with you..." Blaine said still in hushed tone as he swayed gently with Kurt.

" Marry me" Kurt said, suddenly, his voice sounding even and clear.

Blaine, instantly stopped and let go of Kurt, completely confused by what he was hearing. He turned and faced Kurt trying to check whether what he thought he had heard Kurt say was real. Kurt looked at him, his hand now against his mouth as though he was trying to catch the words that he just left and pull them back. He looked shocked. Blaine was breathing deeply looking at Kurt and searching him with his eyes, checking that Kurt had really said what he had heard.

Kurt was now looking at the ground, shaking slightly, both hands now tightly pulling against his face.

" Kurt..." said Blaine, having regained some but not all of his composure and still shaking a little.

"Do you mean that ?" he asked quietly, pulling Kurt's hand gently from his face and holding it lightly in between both of his.

Kurt didn't reply.

"Kurt...?" Blaine asked again, gently questioning.

" Yes, but..."

"But ?" said Blaine, sounding deflated, he was tried to keep the pining tone out of his voice.

"Not if you don't want to be married, or you don't think we are ready, or you think that things are good as they are or if you want to wait and may be later, or you want to think or you..." it all came out as a fast torrent, the words jumbling and falling with each other and becoming an incoherent ramble. Kurt was now looking at Blaine tears filling his eyes, desperately wishing he could at least cover his face with his hands that Blaine was holding more firmly now, and pulling behind him so that he could moved forward to pull Kurt into a hug.

"Yes" Blaine whispered into Kurt's ear.

He knew that Kurt had heard him when he felt Kurt's body relax and then pull him tightly to him again. Blaine leaned away a little and looked at Kurt again. " Yes "

Kurt looked at him smiling, " Yes ?"

Blaine looked at him and slowly and deliberately nodded his head. " So is that a yes now or a yes sometime...or yes"

" Kurt it's a yes, a yes for now and for as long as it takes for you and me as your helper, although I know I won't be allowed to do anything, to plan our wedding..."

Both were smiling widely now and Kurt had launched another hug on Blaine as he squealed with delight.

" Well, we need to think of a theme..." mumbling into Blaine's shoulder.

" I am sure that you have one ready..." replied Blaine as Kurt finally detached himself. He thought he would never grow tierd of the way Kurt gripped him so tightly and with such abandonment when he hugged him.

" Blaine" replied Kurt whining as he did so. " "We" , you're going to be helping with ideas too you know... we need to think of when and where and colours..."

"Ah, ha...we do " said Blaine adding with a mock seriousness.

" Oh and numbers...and catering"

" Of course"

" May, what do you think, the weather will start to get warm and it's spring and that always gives me a feeling of hope and brightness and people will won't have booked their holidays, or may be June, we can count on better weather in June...it will be definitely warm in June, but May we could still go with a spring theme, Unless we wanted September? The start of Autumn.

" Kurt, breathe..."

" Oh..."

Blaine quickly pulled out his phone and sent an sms...pulling Kurt along with him as he began walking. " Come on, I've told my brother that weren't feeling well and we're off... "

" You didn't tell him ? " asked Kurt, still smiling and giggly as he walked briskly along with Blaine. " It's our night, we can tell him tomorrow..."

"Where are we going for cocktails and dancing then... ?" said Kurt now giggling openly.

" Change of plan..." Blaine's voice was light but with a hint of determination.

Blaine tugged his hand, and moved him quicker along the street. " Ooooh, getting all bossy now " said Kurt playfully. Blaine stopped abruptly for a moment and pulled Kurt closer to him, before planting firm kiss on his lips. " Yes" he said firmly, before smiling broadly again and in a moment he was tugging Kurt along again.

They reached the edge of central park, when Blaine's pace slackened and he let go of his hand, letting it wind around Kurt's waist as before.

" Blaine, what are you thinking ? " asked Kurt a little hesitantly but still feeling the elation that he had, since he had heard Blaine tell him yes.

Blaine didn't reply.

" Blaine, I know this is all very romantic and everything but we are in New York and it is " he glanced down at his watch " 11.25pm and we could get mugged or arrested depending on what you have in mind, and really while I hate to be party pooper I just think that something...and"

Blaine silenced him for a second time with a soft kiss. Gently moving a stray hair he held Kurt for a moment. " Is this the only way to stop you talking..." Kurt nodded obediently. " Good " smiled Blaine again.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet, opening a zipped section he fumbled in the semi darkness, before zipping the wallet closed again. He took Kurt gently by the hand. Kurt didn't speak this time, something told him not too. Blaine looked over to decide where to go and walked backwards looking at Kurt and smiling softly as he walked them both over to an area away from the glare of the traffic lights and where a street light was the only light.

Still holding Kurt's hand he knelt down on to the damp cold grass of Central Park. Kurt said nothing but kept his grip firmly on Blaine's hand smiling apprehensively but still smiling.

" Kurt, I…well you've already asked me to marry me, and I that is all I have dreamed of, will you wear this ring.."

Blaine slowly held out his hand to reveal a white metal band studded with 3 small diamonds.

Kurt peered into the hand and stood there silently, stilled and silent, he wasn't sure what he was actually seeing. It was not what he was expecting when Blaine had dropped to his knees.

" I thought you could wear your mother's ring as a wedding ring, and have this as an engagement ring from me, at first I thought I would get you a watch but then I just thought that wasn't very romantic…it's got a really fancy duck egg blue box that I have kept for you in the apartment"

Kurt was looking at him smiling, he dropped his knees into the cold grass to level himself with Blaine and held his hand out as Blaine carefully and firmly moved it along his finger.

" When did you turn into the romantic one " asked Kurt looking at the beautiful ring on his finger which he twisted and turned to catch the light with the diamonds.

" It's beautiful, it's elegant and magical and I ..I love it " said Kurt launching himself to hug Blaine who did his best not to topple over. They hugged tightly before Blaine got up from the grass holding his hand out to Kurt to pull him off the grass. They linked hands firmly, Blaine rubbing his finger over Kurt's fingers feeling the ring that he had placed there.

They walked silent both lost in their own feeling of share happiness.

Please review ! I hope you enjoyed it...there's more to come xx


	25. Chapter 25

**Thank you all dear Readers for reviewing and reading so far...I hope you like this chapter, it's sweet with only a little bit of angst that is resolved. **

**Chapter 25...**

Kurt was concentrating on spooning the muffin batter into the muffin cases, he was particular about not letting it dribble on to the sides of the cases, really he was quite particular about anything to do with baking, clothes and skin care to name just a few things. He was concentrating hard, trying to keep his mind off things. He had already been up an hour and had pulled on a pair of boxer shorts and had his silk robe pulled tightly over him, the heat from the oven kept him warm. He should have been feeling thrilled, really he shouldn't have even out of bed, really he should have been lying cuddled against his new fiancé and dreaming happily. He glanced to the diamond studded band on his finger, and paused for a moment, biting his bottom lip and trying to get on with the task in hand. He tried hard to push away thoughts and to tell himself that he was being silly. Of course Blaine would have asked him anyway, why would he have bought the ring if he had no intention of doing that ?

He glanced at his watch it was 8.30am on Saturday morning. He was an early riser but Saturday mornings were their together time. And they hadn't got to get to sleep until the early hours of the morning, making love and talking and making love some more. Blaine would notice soon that he wasn't there and would come out to look for him. He had filled 9 of the cases when he felt a hand softly touch his shoulder and the softest of kisses brush against his cheek.

He hadn't hear Blaine pad softly out to the kitchen, having pulled on a pair of sweats and a t shirt. Blaine was still full of sleep.

" You're making muffins ? " asked a very sleeply voice behind him.

Kurt didn't move to look at Blaine who was now gently resting against him, his hand still gently resting on Kurt's shoulders, feeling Kurt's lean shoulder's through the silk robe.

"Hmm" said Kurt, not quite knowing what to say. It sounded like a hum to Blaine but not a contented one. Blaine became more awake, noticing that Kurt's body was stiff and stony, usually he would have leaned back a little, giggled a little or made some clever quip back in return for Blaine pointing out the obvious.

" Hey ?" said Blaine, as if nudging him a little to speak.

There was no response.

" Kurt ?"

"Hmm" said Kurt not sure how or if he even wanted to speak to Blaine. Truth be told he wanted a little time to think about things more clearly before he spoke to Blaine and possibly risk hurting his feelings, but things had moved on and the option to do that was not long available to Kurt.

Seeing that it was unlikely that Kurt would answer, Blaine gently took the spoon that Kurt was holding, and which he let go of willingly. He put one arm around Kurt turning him around at the same time and with the other he held Kurt's hand leading him to the kitchen table.

He sat Kurt down and returned back to the kitchen counter and poured a cup of coffee from the pot and took the cup that Kurt had already began to drink and placed them on the kitchen table. He sat opposite Kurt but his arms stretched out, reaching to hold Kurt's hands who willingly put them in Blaine's.

" Tell me " he asked, his voice gently probing.

"I'm just being silly, I'm sorry, " replied Kurt trying to stifle a sniff.

"just tell me" Blaine asked his voiced even more gentler.

There was what seemed another long pause but Blaine knew that Kurt would speak, he knew Kurt well enough to know that.

" I ...I just...I just have doubts Blaine" Kurt realised that what he wanted to say had just come out completely wrong. But before Blaine could speak and seeing the panicked look in Blaine's eyes Kurt continued.

" It's just that I don't want you to feel...forced into this, you had this ring in your wallet for ages and you hadn't asked me and last night after everything..my mind began to wonder and I started wondering if this is what you really do want. Or if you were doing this just for me. I wouldn't want that, if you were. As much as I want us to be married I wouldn't want that if you didn't truly want this, and it wouldn't be the end of us if you didn't , just in case you're worried about that." Kurt sighed with relief as he finished and softly smiled as he said the last bit. If Blaine wanted a way out, Kurt wanted a way to give him that while keeping what they had between them intact and still as valuable and precious as it was the day before.

" I thought you might be thinking that or would think that, I should have said something yesterday but I got caught up in the moment, and it all felt so good" Blaine was sounding relaxed.

It was Kurt who was looking sorrowful now, he just nodded, urging Blaine to carry on speaking.

"wait here a minute" Blaine gently ordered and left the table darting to their bedroom and back again. He sat down at the table again holding his mobile phone and scrolling down emails.

" Here, look at these..." he offered the phone to Kurt who tentatively took it looking puzzled.

" I've been planning to ask you for ages, I wanted to create this really romantic gesture and well, just look..."

"I can't nose through your phone Blaine" he said, some of his former sassiness returning.

" you can, I permit you to, and anyway there's nothing on there that you wouldn't be able to see anyway. "

" Ok " Kurt sighed.

Kurt read a chain of emails between Blaine and his brother. " Cooper knew" Kurt queried not removing his eyes from the emails.

" Aha...and trust me, don't take romantic advice from Cooper..."

" I could have told you that " replied Kurt still gazing at the emails, the atmosphere between them was definitely lifting.

To Cooper – PLAN A

So what do you think of a trip to Europe, I was thinking Rome, or may be Paris, I think after SATC may be Paris, and then we could go to the Eiffle Tower and I could ask thim there..?

To Blaine

What is SATC, is that some code ?

To Cooper

I'll ignore that ...SJP, SATC ? ring any bells ?

To Blaine

Have just wasted a google search to work that out. I thought it didn't work out to well in Paris, for SJP – see I can get gay speak... anyway sounds corny.

To Cooper

Corny as in Romantic ?

To Blaine

Are we actually related ? – Ok seriously, sounds good if that's your thing and Kurt's and some how I think it might be. Practical point, you'd have to leave it until the end of term which is Christmas...and you're with Kurt's family I assume then.

To Cooper

You may have a point there...I don't think I could get Kurt to give up Christmas with his family, not that I would want him too… back to the drawing board.

Kurt was looking at Blaine now, really not being able to help the smile forming on his lips.

" We will still go to Paris..." said Blaine reassuringly. " Read on"

Kurt got up from his side of the table and moved to Blaine's holding the phone in one hand and taking Blaine's hand in the other. Blaine leaned over gently kissing him on the temple.

To Blaine

Could you just go to somewhere swanky and put the ring in a napkin or something ?

To Cooper

Yeah, and which film did you see that in ?

To Blaine

It's actually my own original idea.

To Cooper

Well not original enough. Ok, what about the Zoo ? Kurt love's the Zoo.

To Blaine

And I love the Apple Store, doesn't mean that I want someone to propose to me in it. You'll be surrounded by smelly animals and kids dribbling ice cream whose parents will freak when they see what's going on.

To Cooper

Ice skating ? Kurt glides across the ice like a swan.

To Blaine

He does, but do you actually recall how badly you skate ? you might as well ask him in the emergency department.

To Cooper

Are you actually helping ?

To Blaine

I am, you just don't know it yet. Sorry, beer after work Wednesday ? we can come up with a plan then, promise you, don't fret.

To Cooper

Ok, you're buying.

To Blaine

I always do, love ya.

Kurt was pursing his lips, it was the sweetest exchange. He always liked Blaine's brother, he didn't know really what Blaine and his brother talked about privately, he assumed it was mainly confined to how irritating their parents were or Cooper's never ending girlfriend problems, well possibly not the latter as Cooper often shared that with Kurt. Neither Blaine or Cooper really spoke about their parents other than in passing when Kurt was around and Blaine thought that was to possibly shield him from some awkward confrontation that was about to arise.

Kurt looked at Blaine, playing with the curls falling around his face which were first thing in the morning, more tumbly and unruly then ever.

He was silently asking the question " And then..."

As if there words were spoken out loud, Blaine spoke up.

" And then we just chatted and talked about some of the things that we had done together, I dismissed and saved you from being asked at a baseball match and then I got the idea for the perfect time..."

Kurt looked at him, intently, about to ask, but not daring to.

" Stay..." said Blaine, letting go of Kurt's hand and rushing away from the table again.

Kurt couldn't resist throwing his eyes to the ceiling, but did his best to hold back on the drama.

" Here" he said, and Blaine handed him an envelope.

Kurt opened the envelope and pulled out what he thought might be raffle tickets, but were photocopied slips. " Westside Story – Boston Community Theatre" – the date was three weeks away.

" I thought we could leave on a Saturday morning and stay over night, and I sort of lied about Cooper having a dinner party that night, that was his contribution to the plan, just to stop you putting something else in the diary...I know you love that musical and I thought we could have sushi like, well like when we were still at school. I know it's not Broadway, but it was the only place I could find that was running the show. "

Kurt was still silent turning the tickets over in his hand.

Blaine continued. " I kept the ring in my wallet because you found the first one, that's all, I really wanted this one to be a surprise…I was praying that you didn't find the box"

" I love you " replied Kurt, practically falling into Blaine beside him, kissing him quickly before wrapping him a tight embrace. Blaine laughed a little hugging Kurt back and smelling him. He loved the smell of Kurt.

They stayed in that place for a few moments. Before Blaine released his grip but holding on to Kurt's arms.

" So, mister, is there anything else that is going on in that beautiful head of yours that you want to ask about?"

Kurt shook his head in a silent reply. He suddenly looked puzzled again.

" What is it babe ?" asked Blaine.

" hmm, I was just wondering if we should start calling people then…"

Blaine pondered for a moment.

" Can't we keep this weekend for us, just us ? …"

Kurt smiled gently.

" Do you want some of these muffins then for breakfast ?" Asked Kurt.

" I do, but I want them in bed, with you…" Blaine replied gently sliding the silk from Kurt's shoulders and kissing him softly on the shoulder.

" They'll need 25 minutes…I want to shower and be all fresh, too" Kurt tried to say confidently trying to resist Blaine's trail of kisses.

" We could shower…" Blaine replied emphasising the word " We"… " but then we are back to bed…" He said again, repeating the " We".

Later that afternoon, or was it early evening they had finally managed to make it to the sofa and were lying tangled with each other in sweat pants and t shirts.

" Shit" said Blaine glancing at his phone. " Cooper's been sending annoying texts…" he said handing his phone again to Kurt.

" Has Kurt recovered ? or where you checking his tonsils in that shop door way"

" I'll ignore it" said Blaine, taking the phone back.

" Oh, be nice, just let him know I am fine and we'll call him tomorrow evening...he did sort of try to help you with your planning.. " said Kurt with a mock scolding tone.

" That's why I want to marry you…"

Kurt just looked puzzled.

" Because you make me be a better person, because you're so kind and compassionate…"

" Not just sexy and good looking then " added Kurt jokingly, but Blaine wasn't joking

" And sexy and gorgeous and talented…" said Blaine, squeezing Kurt from his waist tightly against him.

**Hope you enjoyed this one, please review xx**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thank you to all of you who have reviewed and are following this story...this is the last chapter in the main story, I hope you enjoy it. **

**Chapter 26**

Kurt was waving the phone handset at Blaine,

"so we can call Dad and Carol on a conference call, you know they will want to speak to you anyway" – Kurt gestured the phone to Blaine was seated on the sofa similing.

" You know what, why don't you tell your Dad, he might want to say something to you while I am not there. It's your moment with him.." said Blaine a little earnestly but kindly.

Kurt's exuberance calmed for a moment. It was Sunday evening and they had decided to make calls to tell their closest friends and family the news. He nodded softly and smiled, knowing that the call to Blaine's parents would be a very different one.

Blaine watched Kurt dial and say " Dad, are you sitting down…" before he tip toed out of the room, all he could hear then were excited squeals from Kurt and lots of laughing. He was sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee when Kurt bounded in still holding the phone, and saying into the reciever that he would be getting Blaine on the phone.

" Dad and Carol want to talk to you Blaine, " he said practically shoving the phone at Blaine and planting and exaggerated kiss on his cheek as he did so.

" Hello, Sir, its Blaine here" he said as soon as he grasped the phone.

" Blaine, you are really going to have to stop the Sir thing…so, you two are getting married then. I am more than happy for you both. .." Said Burt Hummel through the phone.

Blaine held the phone expecting there to be a " but" or a threat of some form of violence by shooting should he ever hurt Kurt. It wasn't that he didn't really like Kurt's dad it was more that he just knew how much he loved his son and how protective he was of him. But Burt Hummel was to surprise him.

" I know you practically worship each other, so I have no words of wisdom that I can think to offer you, but I want you also to know that we, Carol and me also love you too, and we have done for a very long time…"

Blaine was a little taken aback, he didn't quite know what to say. He could hear Carol in the background begging for the phone.

" I'm going to put you on speaker now, is Kurt still there ?, Carol will explode if she doesn't get to speak to you both"

Just before Burt could say or do anything more, Blaine quickly said.

" That means so much to me Burt, thank you…I won't let you down"

As if by intuition, Kurt was back at Blaine's side as he put the phone on the counter top with the speaker device switched on.

" Kurt sweetheart, Blaine darling…I am so happy for you, what can I do to help you ?" Asked Carol warmly.

" Thank you Carol, that's really kind of you, erm," Kurt paused for a little " if it's not to much to ask, could you help me choose menus and things ? " Hey, what's my job then ?" Blaine joked. " You just turn up and look gorgeous and dapper as always " said Kurt reassuringly before continuing with Carol.

" Of course… Kurt, Blaine I know you might want something really fancy but I was wondering if I could make your wedding cake, I can do a few layers..it's probably not going to be as fashionable as what a New York bakery could manage.. " Kurt looked at Blaine who sliently nodded and smiled. " We'd love that…" replied Kurt " It will be better than anything we could possibly buy " added Blaine.

They carried on talking, the four of them although Burt was a little quieter not having a great deal to contribute to the wedding planning details. "Blaine, we must get to meet your parents before the wedding, shall we invite them to come for dinner when you are next both over here, or if that's a while may be we could invite them over sooner, what do you think ? "

This was the question that Kurt thought might arise, Blaine instinctively grabbed Kurt's hand as he lied.

" Erm, that's very sweet of you both, I am sure they would love to do that but my dad has quite a busy travel itinery and it's often hard for them to be around at weekends.."

" Oh I am sure we can work something out " added Carol encouragingly " Your mother and I will need to co-ordinate outfits. " Carol laughed. There had been a time when she cared little or nothing about clothes but that all changed when Kurt entered her life

The conversation ended with plans to meet and shopping trips to do.

"It's my turn, I suppose " said Blaine reluctantly, as they had said their good byes and the phone was now in his hand.

"Call Cooper first" offered Kurt, knowing that it would probably be better if Blaine spoke to the positive member of the family first.

The mood went back to lots of laughing and almost screeching as Cooper laughed and congratulated them both. He said that he had guessed, when they didn't come back to the restaurant and he saw them on the street kissing, and then the cryptic texts from Blaine during the weekend. He thanked Kurt for rescuing his brother and told Blaine he was proud of him and the life that he had created. Kurt invited Cooper over for dinner so that they could talk about things properly, then the conversation went back to kind teasing and more laughing and a lot more giggling from Kurt. When that conversation ended Blaine knew that he could not delay or put off things any longer.

Almost cradling the phone in his hand he went to sit in the bedroom. Kurt watched him go, knowing that this was a call that he had to let Blaine make on his own. He tried to busy himself while Blaine made the call, wanting to give him some privacy but at the same time wanting to be ready if Blaine needed him. He was putting away some plates from the dishwasher when he heard Blaine's raised voice. Blaine wasn't one to shout, he was more controlled, and in all the time that Kurt knew him, he had only heard Blaine shout when he was in emotional pain, never in true anger. He knew this time would be no exception.

Kurt's immediate instinct was to stop everything and just rush to him, holding him, telling him it would all be alright and soothing him with hushed words of kindness and love. But he held fast, as he heard Blaine's raised voice continue and then there was a silence. Nothing. Kurt waited and busied himself a few minutes more before deciding to move gently towards the bedroom, but the door opened and Blaine emerged. His face was white but his eyes were red rimmed and Kurt knew in an instant that he had been crying. Blaine moved swiftly not giving Kurt a moment to move towards him, he walked past Kurt stopping momentarily and saying in the quietest of voices. " I am just going for a walk.." Kurt gently touched his arm as he walked past and Blaine paused for a moment to look back at Kurt who was staring at him with gentle and pleading eyes. " Don't worry about me, sweetheart, I'll be fine." Kurt softened a little at the term of endearment and nodded everso gently. He hated seeing Blaine so hurt and shutting himself off from him while he dealt with the cauldron of hurt and anger that was filling him. Once the door closed Kurt slumped on the sofa and rested his head in his hands trying his hardest not to cry as well.

He sat there for a few moments not doing anything but thinking of nothing when he heard a key turn in the door, he hadn't expected to see Blaine back so soon and wondered if he'd forgotten something, instinctively he looked up but remained seated.

"Blaine" Kurt asked inquiringly.

Blaine was standing in front of him, his eyes watering.

"I forgot... I forgot you Kurt " and with that Kurt quickly got up from the sofa and enveloped him with his arms. "I am so sorry, I forget how you must feel when I get like this" Blaine added as he held Kurt tightly speaking into Kurt's soft fresh smelling hair.

"Its okay, babe, its okay" murmured Kurt into his shoulder.

" Come with me" asked Blaine releasing Kurt and holding him by his shoulders. " I need some air "

Kurt nodded, moving out of Blaine's grip to reach for his coat and the two left the apartment.

They walked in silence for a while, the chill November air circling around them. Kurt gripped Blaine's hand tightly and he squeezed it back in return.

" Do you want to get a coffee " asked Kurt gently and with that they found themselves sitting in a coffee shop quietly warming their hands around their cups.

" They said I had " taken things too far this time" " said Blaine abruptly, emphasising the words of his parents.

Kurt just straightened his posture to show that he was listening and reached over to grab Blaine;'s hand from across the table and to hold it tightly, rubbing his thumb over the top.

"What was the point in getting married, it wasn't as though we were ever going to have a family and it was "unnecessary"…" Kurt nodded again, hearing Blaine sound hurt and bitter.

"They even asked who it was at first, when I said that I was getting married… Christ, what were they hoping for me to say, that I had suddenly met some girl and hey I had made a mistake, I wasn't gay after all, I had just made a mistake for 20 odd years ? "

" I'm sorry Blaine" said Kurt softly.

" And what was really stupid, really stupid of me" Blaine said continuing.. " For a moment as I dialled their number, I thought it would be different, I thought I would hear them say that they were actually happy that I was happy, that for once they might look at how I felt and be happy and supportive for me. Why would I think they would change, why was I dumb enough to believe that ?"

" It's not dumb, sweetheart, you just wanted what you hoped, and we all do that " Kurt interrupted softly.

" Well they are obviously not coming to the wedding.." Blaine added and Kurt nodded. " And here's the really stupid bit, I wanted them to be there, for some innately strange reason, I wanted them there thinking that maybe just maybe they would want to see their son get married…but no, apparently I have gone a step to far…"

He looked down into his coffee, tears slowly flowing. Kurt, pulled out a tissue from his pocket, opened it out and mopped the tears.

" You, know, we don't have to have this fancy wedding, we could have a small simple wedding instead, the only person I really want there, I really want there is you, just you. "

" I love you so much…" said Blaine looking up, before continuing.

" It's our wedding Kurt, I want our friends there and your family and my brother, and just because my parents aren't going to be there doesn't mean that I want to change what you really want, and what I want too, because of them…."

" And my dad loves you too you know…" Said Kurt smiling now.

" He does.." Blaine said nodding.

" And Carol has a little bit of a crush on you…" Blaine shook his head laughing a little bit.

"It's not as bad as mine" added Kurt.

**So please review...and shortly the Epilogue will be up xx**


	27. Epilogue

Dear Readers..

The end of my story...this final chapter pulls together the themes that run through the story...it's about love on many levels and acceptance. Cooper is important in this story here because of his friendship with Kurt which I tried to make as a standalone friendship and because of the way he tries to help his brother when their parents don't. There is some resoultion with one of Blaine's parents, but I wanted to make that a little imperfect. Then of course there is Kurt and Blaine, I re wrote this chapter after The Break up, because I wanted so show that Kurt was someone is was Blaine's rock that he could talk to, before doing something destructive...

Thanks you all for following, reading and reviewing..

**Epilogue**

Well, I think you look quite the handsome prince charming, said Kurt beaming proudly as he fixed Blaine's tie, patting it gently before leaning back to admire his work.

" I look alright ? how's the hair ?" queried Blaine nervously as he ruffled his hands through his curls. He had under Kurt's advice gone for less hair gel and now was querying that decision at the same time knowing that in Kurt's advice was something of a command. And now he was standing dressed in a light coloured suit in the ante room of a church full of wedding guests.

"It looks perfect, but what would make it even more perfect is if you didn't fiddle with it " Kurt replied batting Blaine's hand gently away, tweaking the tie once more as he did so.

"Oh sorry…" muttered Blaine.

" Stop being nervous, not that it's not completely adorable…you'll be perfect " Said Kurt, looking admiringly once again.

" It will be wonderful, hey, I better go…can't wait here too long, not sure I am meant to be here anyway. And where exactly is Cooper shouldn't you be with him" Said Kurt glancing down to look at his watch.

" Oh… yes, better find him…one last kiss?" Blaine said doing is best puppy dog eyes.

"One and only one, you've twisted my arm" said Kurt, softly kissing him on the nose. " That's all for now, go find Cooper.."

Blaine left Kurt reluctantly and walked along the dusty corridor that linked the maze of rooms at the back of the church and tried to work out where he had come from at the time that he received Kurt's text message asking for " one peek at you, before the big moment ?". He heard a muffled voice gently pleading.

" Lucy sweetheart, they'll be worried and looking for you…how did you get here, I need to take you back.."

He pushed open the door to find his brother standing there, looking like a taller version of himself, in a matching pale blue suit and co-ordinating tie bent over talking to the small girl with the clearest pale porcelain skin and sandy coloured hair tied in two immaculate pigtales which she was twiddling between her fingers. " See…I told you" he said, straightening up, as Blaine walked into the room. The little girl spun around holding the corners of her taffeta cream dress as if to take a bow. She was grinning mischiefly.

For a moment Blaine felt guilty not even knowing that his daughter was not where she was meant to be and not knowing where she was at all, he thought she was being looked after by one of her grandparents sitting in the church. But she looked so pretty and cute.

" So what are you doing in here young lady ?" He asked with a mock firmness. Cooper stood upright again, raising his eye balls to the ceiling, he'd been pleading with Lucy Hummel- Anderson for quite a few minutes now.

" I was wishing uncle Cooper good luck…" she said firmly giving looking down for a moment before shooting up her best cute stare. It was time's like this that Blaine could see how she had picked up the tactics that he used with Kurt all the time.

" Are you now ?" Blaine asked as firmly as he could again, desperately trying exert some form or parental authority. Kurt seemed just so much better at it then he was.

She nodded, knowing that this was not a real telling off and knowing that she could easily get her way around her daddy whenever she could especially if her papa was not there. It was a game that she liked playing and one that she never grew tired of practicising.

"And where are your flowers ?" he asked with a voice of mock dismay, his hand against his chest.

" I left them with Grandmother…she liked them." She replied matter of factly.

Blaine thought back to that day 4 years early, when Cooper had asked him over for dinner one evening when Kurt was supposed to have been working late. He remembered to his surprise and annoyance at that time seeing his mother sitting on Cooper's sofa. It was the first time he had spoken to his mother since the death of his father a year before and even then it was because he felt he had to, it had been a short perfunctory conversation and he returned back to the Kurt's family home where his husband was waiting for him, Kurt felt that making an appearance at the funeral and potentially upsetting his mother even more would be unkind. Lucy had just been born and Kurt had spent the time instead showing her off to their friends and letting his father and Carole fawn over her adoringly, but he was waiting for Blaine to speak and talk to him.

So Blaine's mother had told him as she sat in Cooper's apartment that she had made mistakes and that being alone made her realise that more and more, not going to Blaine and Kurt's wedding and not accepting the life that they led was one of them, and her biggest regret. She wanted him to be a part of her life, she wanted to know her grand daughter and she wanted to know Kurt. Kurt knew of course, he was waiting for Blaine to return to their apartment that evening, not knowing if Blaine would be angry with him. But he was not, he came back confused and emotionally exhausted, and Kurt just held him and listened to him talk about all the pain and conflict that had filled him for years about his relationship with his parents and his guilt for not being able to forgive his mother who was now alone. It was Kurt who had taught Blaine to forgive after many tear filled and emotional conversations during their evenings at home together. It was Kurt who told him that being angry was an emotion which took too much out of him, it was destructive and painful, it would be easier to forgive. So that is what he did. That is what they both did, little by little. It started with him and Kurt paying short visits whenever they went to stay with Kurt's family, at first it was just the two of them and then slowly they introduced Lucy. As much as Kurt supported Blaine throughout the process he needed to know that Blaine's mother was genuine and that she would not just love Lucy but accept them as a family. It was easier with Lucy, she gave them all something to focus on and while Blaine's mother was never overly demonstrative with affection to her own sons that side of her began to change too. She adored the young child and planed each trip with things to make and visits, Blaine had never seen his family home such a mess than after him and Kurt would come to collect Lucy at the end of an afternoon with her Grandmother (as she wanted to be called). She came and visited them in New York, never staying at their apartment but in a hotel near by, there were somethings that she couldn't cope with and staying in the house was one of them, she would offer to look after Lucy so him and Kurt could have an evening together, something which she would never have done before, she was moving out of her comfort zone and beginning to find acceptance of something she never tried to understand before. Blaine couldn't pretend that the past had completely been forgotten but things got easier, definitely easier.

It was Kurt's proudest moment in this daughter's life so far when he saw her walk in time to the wedding March as she carried her bouquet of flowers up the aisle of the church to where Chloe was now standing beside Cooper with Blaine at his side, as his best man. Lucy looked at Blaine expectantly when she got there and he in return gave her a little wink, quickly putting his hands to his lips to shush the little giggle that was about to break free from her.

" Do you remember when I asked you…" said Blaine as they stood in the hotel where the reception was taking place relaxed that all the formalities were over. " Yes Blaine, I do it was only 8 years ago….and I think you'll remember I asked you first.." Kurt's sassiness returning, while Blaine was looking almost dewy eyed.

" I know" replied Blaine, a little deflated…" but I still asked you, twice in fact …the park and at West Side Story…you only asked the first" he said picking up his mood again.

" true" nodded Kurt his eye's lifting to the ceiling with a smile, "….I think you could have waited until Tony and Maria had taken their final curtain call though " Kurt giggled, thinking back to the evening in the Boston Theatre when as the final notes of "Somewhere" were being played, Blaine started shifting in his seat and fumbling around in his pockets. He had deliberately chosen to get seats on the front row. The cast on stage had bowed, and were returning, Blaine couldn't wait any longer and bounced up from the chair onto his knees, unconscious that the eyes of the first three rows of the theatre were fixed on him and those of the cast on the stage were also looking down at them as he asked Kurt to marry him.

"Oh…" replied Blaine looking down as if he was a naughty child being caught out.

" But I loved that, it may me feel that the only thing that mattered to you was me … not the sounds of 300 hundred people clapping even put you off, but wait - you love the sound of clapping" Kurt teased.

" You were, and you know you are the only thing that matters and Lucy of course…"

" Of course"

"I'll never stop loving you."

"I know, I won't let you….and I love you" Kurt replied.

THE END


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